Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

More than 1.63 crore people have received a coronavirus vaccine in India so far. While there has been no case of any adverse effect on anyone, some recipients have reported some side-effects or mild illness.

A large number of experts have underlined that these are expected in a small number of cases and that these ought not to dissuade people from taking the shot.

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Dr Shashank Joshi, member of Maharashtras Covid-19 task force, said both the vaccines being used in India, Bharat Biotechs Covaxin and Serum Institute of Indias Covishield, a version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, are absolutely safe and minor side-effects are expected in some cases, not just for these particular vaccines, but any other vaccine as well.

Here are some of the things you need to know, and some precautions that you should take before getting vaccinated.

In case a person has allergies to medication, or drugs, it is important to get an all-clear from a medical practitioner. A complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), or Immunoglobulin-E (IgE) levels can be checked under medical advice.

One should eat well and take medicines, if prescribed, ahead of vaccination. One should try to be as relaxed as possible; counselling can help people who are feeling anxious.

People with diabetes or blood pressure need to keep these in check. Cancer patients, especially those on chemotherapy, must act on medical advice.

People who have received blood plasma or monoclonal antibodies as part of Covid-19 treatment, or those who have been infected in the last one and a half months are advised to not take the vaccine right now.

A recipient of the vaccine is monitored at the vaccine centre itself to guard against any immediate severe allergic reaction. People are allowed to leave only after it has been ascertained that this is not the case.

Side effects like pain at the injection site and fever are common. This is no reason to panic. Some other side effects like chills and fatigue might also be expected, but these go away in a few days.

Vaccines teach our immune system how to recognise and fight an external threat in this case, the virus that causes Covid-19. It typically takes a few weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus.

This means that a person could still get infected by Covid-19 in the few days immediately following the vaccination, because the person would not have had enough time to develop immunity.

Therefore, basic precautionary measures must be followed even after vaccination. Face masks, hand hygiene, and physical distancing in public places must not be abandoned just because a vaccine has been taken. Cough/sneeze etiquette also needs to be followed.

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Explained: As you take the Covid-19 vaccine, some dos and donts - The Indian Express

PUNE, India, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Demand for global corona virus vaccine market in terms of revenue was worth of USD 0.37 Billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 75.75 Billion in 2021. The global corona virus vaccine market is expected to grow at significant growth rate due to number of driving factors.

The study provides a crucial view of global corona virus vaccine market by segmenting the market based on infection type, vaccine type and region & country level. Based on infection, the corona virus vaccine market is segmented into HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HKU1-CoV, NL63, MERS-CoV, New Haven CoV, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Based on vaccine type, the market is segmented into S-protein based coronavirus vaccine, live attenuated coronavirus vaccine, inactivated coronavirus vaccine, MRNA vaccine and DNA-based vaccine. The regions covered in global virus testing diagnostic kits market are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. On the basis of country level, global virus testing diagnostic kits market is sub divided into U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, India, South East Asia, Brazil, Mexico, GCC, Africa, etc.

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Key Companies Covered in the Corona Virus Vaccine market: Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Moderna, Inc., Protein Potential, LLC, Novavax, Inc., Synairgen PLC, AlphaVax, Inc., NanoViricides, Inc., Zydus Cadila, Bravovax, GeoVax, Altimmune, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, CanSino Biologics, Vaxart, Vaxil Bio Ltd

When most people in a community are vaccinated against a disease, the ability of the pathogen to spread is limited as vaccines can prevent infectious diseases. It greatly reduces the risk of infection by training the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. As Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus i.e. SARS-CoV-2, which has spread rapidly throughout the world and in March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. This pandemic has severely weakened health systems & economic and social progress globally. While countries, have taken strong measures to cover the spread of COVID-19 through better diagnostics and treatment, the coronavirus vaccines will provide a lasting solution by enhancing immunity and containing the disease spread. In response to the pandemic, the vaccine development process has been fast-tracked, as these vaccines safely deliver an immunogen which is a specific type of antigen that produces a resistant response for training the immune system to recognize the pathogen when it is come across naturally. There are many different COVID-19 vaccines are at development stage because it is not yet known which ones will be effective and safe. In April 2020; the access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator was launched to speed up development & delivery to countries of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

Factors such as the present coronavirus outbreak, increasing healthcare expenditures, growing concerns regarding Corona virus outbreaks at regular intervals and the growing need to protect populations across the globe from known as well as unencountered virus strains are expected to drive the growth of the market. For example; the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was officially named as COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization and has spread to more than 180 countries and the pandemic has had a negative impact on mental health. And, as of February 16th, 2021, India has about 10925710 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and globally, there are about 10,91,51,283 confirmed COVID-19 cases across 192 counties which has led to about 24,07,688 deaths.

In addition, health financing is necessary to the ability of health systems to maintain & improve human welfare and as there is a rapid growth in cases of COVID-19, which has challenged national healthcare capacity, testing systems at an advanced ICU and public health infrastructure level to develop the preventive measure for the pandemic. Thus, many regional governments are taking so many efforts and spending much more expenditures to develop a vaccine. For instance; on February 11th, U.S. President Joe Biden announced his administration has secured about 200 million more doses of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines i.e. about 50% increase and also the Biden administration plans to deliver more doses directly to drugstores & pharmacies to speed up delivery of vaccine as part of about $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan. Hence, increasing healthcare expenditure for corona vaccine is also driving the growth of global coronavirus vaccine market. Moreover, increasing research & development for the corona vaccine may boost the growth of global coronavirus vaccine market growth within the forecast period. However, time required for each stage of clinical trials of vaccine and high costs associated with research & development of vaccines and drugs may hamper the market growth.

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Global Coronavirus Vaccine Market: Market Player Analysis

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Moderna, Inc., Protein Potential, LLC, Novavax, Inc., Synairgen PLC, AlphaVax, Inc., NanoViricides, Inc., Zydus Cadila, Bravovax, GeoVax, Altimmune, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, CanSino Biologics, Vaxart, Vaxil Bio Ltd

Geographically, North America region is expected to dominate the coronavirus vaccine market. This is due to increasing research & development activities for corona virus vaccine in the region and presence of major players such as Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Moderna, Inc. and Novavax, Inc. & among others, in this region. For instance, according to springer nature limited; Most COVID-19 vaccine development activity is in North America, with about 36 i.e. 46% of developers of the confirmed active vaccine candidates compared with about 14 (18%) in China, about 14 (18%) in Asia (excluding China) and Australia and about 14 (18%) in Europe. Also, on April 08, 2020, Novavax, Inc. Company has announced that it has identified a coronavirus vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373 and it will initiate a first-in-human trial in Mid-May of 2020.

Moreover, Europe is at second position in dominance and this is due to huge demand for coronavirus vaccine due to diverse coronavirus outbreaks in the current past, the presence of major players in countries in the region and rising investments in R&D activities, along with strong support from the government. For instance; on February 17th, 2021- Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced an agreement with the European Commission (EC) to supply an additional about 200 million doses of COMIRNATY-the companies' COVID-19 Vaccine to the 27 European Union (EU) member states. This new agreement is in addition to about 300 million doses which have already been committed to the EU through 2021 under the first supply agreement signed last year. The additional 200 million doses are expected to be delivered in 2021, with an estimated about 75 million to be supplied in the second quarter. So, the total number of doses to be delivered to the EU member states by the end of 2021 is about 500 million, with the potential to increase to about 600 million based on the option granted in the new agreement.

Global Market Trends of Corona Virus Vaccine.

In recent years, scientists and leading organizations are developing more than 110 vaccines by using wide range of techniques some of which are never been approved for medical purpose before and some of which are already well established. There are two sectors among the newest approaches for corona virus vaccine development that are viral vectors and RNA vaccines. These approaches are implementing for COVID-19 widely for numerous reasons such as their speed of development, scale and manufacturing fit as well as small dose size, all of which are highly desirable features for a rapid pandemic response. Both RNA and viral vectored vaccines have advents from doing investments in cell and gene therapies over the last 10 to 20 years. Some of the major trends in the global coronavirus vaccine market are.

A) Inactivated and Live Attenuated Vaccines:

Nowadays, almost all vaccines in use integrate an activated or weakened form of virus that is not able to cause diseases. When immune cells find out that they can make antibodies and these types of vaccines mainly contain selected viral proteins or inactivated viruses. These are pathogens that can be killed. The dead viruses can no longer multiply, but the body still determines them as intruders therefore, the body's defense system capable that antibodies are produced. The vaccinated individual does not develop the disease. This method utilizes based on tried and tested technology and it is already used in vaccines against diseases such as influenza, polio, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and tetanus.

Inactivated vaccines use a pathogen that can be modified so that it cannot replicate to stimulate individual immune system. They are safe because they cannot cause any type of diseases, but at the same time booster doses are particularly required. The inactivation approach includes heat, radiation or chemicals to eliminate the pathogen's genetic material, which stops it from replicating. Inactivated vaccines can trigger a strong immune reaction, but it is not as advantageous as reaction that live attenuated vaccines can produce. Owing to this reason, a person may need booster shots to ensure ongoing protection. The COVID-19 vaccines that Bharat Biotech, Sinovac and Sinopharm, have developed are inactivated vaccines. For example; Scientists at the private company Sinovac developed an activated COVID-19 vaccine called as CoronaVac, on the other hand, Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research co developed Covaxin.

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B) Genetic vaccines:

The gene-based vaccines include pure genetic information in the form of coronavirus DNA or mRNA type. Individual parts of genetic information from the pathogen are packed into nanoparticles and introduced into another cells. Once the vaccine is given inside the body, it should form harmless viral proteins that deliver strong immune protection.

o DNA Based Vaccine:

Many experimental vaccines do not give whole viruses. Instead, they offer genetic instructions for creating a viral protein. The protein can stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies and help in defensing against other coronaviruses. This method is known as a DNA vaccine. For example; the biotechnology company Inovio pharmaceuticals has previously developed experimental vaccines against MERS-CoV (INO-4700) and is evaluating a DNA vaccine against COVID-19. From the new study, comparing the immunogenicity of two investigational DNA based COVID 19 vaccines, researchers or scientists has shown the results that both prototypes induced potent immune response in mice. According to the scientists, their vaccines are based on a DNA-launched self-amplifying RNA (DREP) platform which is inexpensive, stable and also easy to produce and have a good safety profile.

o RNA Based Vaccine:

From the last few years, new technological innovation and research investment have enabled mRNA to become the milestone as a therapeutic tool in the fields of corona virus vaccine development. For example; the mRNA-1273 was the first mRNA vaccine which is developed by Moderna to be designed to fight against COVID-19 and has gained a time record of 63days from vaccine design to human trials. RNA vaccines hold more benefits including faster, cheaper, more adaptable and easier to volume produce than other vaccines. For example; BioNTech and Pfizer Company launched a coordinated program to compare RNA based COVID-19 vaccine candidates in clinical studies conducted in Germany and the United States. The program was arranged to support the selection of a single vaccine candidate and dose level for a pivotal international safety and efficacy trial purpose.

C) Viral Vector Vaccine:

Viral vectors use modified viruses as boosters to access genetic and cellular material are one of the most commonly deployed tools in the search for a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, scientists are increasingly using viral vector vaccines in therapeutics research well before the coronavirus pandemic, due to their use in gene therapy and cell therapy has proven to be effective. Now, those same applications are being repurposed to develop a coronavirus vaccine. These vaccines use a well-established inactivated or killed viral vector including adenovirus to evaluate proteins of SARS COV2, so that proteins can be determined by individual immune system to produce an immune response.

Synthetic biology is a field of science which consists of redesigning of organisms for useful purposes with the help of engineering technique for making new abilities. synthetic biology market in terms of revenue was estimated to be USD 7.54 Billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 34.51 Billion in 2026, growing at a CAGR of 21.9% from 2020 to 2026.

Continued Corona Virus Vaccine Research Report

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"Corona Virus Vaccine Market Size is Projected to reach 75.75 Billion by end of 2021, Says Brandessence Market Research" USA - PRNewswire

NEW DELHIIndias Bharat Biotech said its Covid-19 vaccine has proved 81% effective at protecting people in a large clinical trial, a report that could invigorate Indias inoculation drive and vaccine-diplomacy efforts.

Bharat Biotech is one of the worlds largest producers of vaccines but is little known outside of the industry. It has been developing a Covid-19 vaccine since the first half of 2020, which New Delhi approved for emergency use this year. India has already administered the vaccine to more than one million people.

Many Indians, however, have said they were reluctant to get the Bharat Biotech shot as they wanted to wait for the results of late-stage trials. Indias vaccination drive has been going much slower than anticipated and some healthcare workers said one of the reasons was that people didnt feel confident about the Bharat Biotech vaccine.

The company said it wanted to clear up any concerns with its announcement on Wednesday. The interim results of its Phase 3 trialwhich gave 25,800 people between the ages of 18 and 98 its vaccine or placebossuggest that it is effective against Covid-19. The company added that it has early indications that it is also effective against the more-contagious U.K. variant of the coronavirus.

Today is an important day for us, the company and also for the country and Indian science, said Krishna Ella, the chairman and managing director at Bharat Biotech.

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Indias Covid-19 Vaccine Is Found Effective, Boosting National Efforts - The Wall Street Journal

WTOP is tracking vaccination rollout in the D.C. region. Washington, Virginia and Maryland are working to inoculate millions while dealing with an unprecedented demand and constricted supply of dosages.

Chart updated: March 3, 6:40 p.m.

WTOP is tracking vaccination rollout in the D.C. region. D.C., Virginia and Maryland are working to inoculate millions while dealing with an unprecedented demand and constricted supply of dosages.

In late 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began reporting coronavirus vaccination data for all 50 states, various U.S. territories and federal agencies. Updated every afternoon, their dataset includes the total number of doses each state has been provided and the number of doses that have actually been used. Comparing both numbers gives valuable insight into how much of a states vaccine stockpile has been deployed versus how much is still in storage.

WTOP will be updating these numbers once every evening, excluding federal holidays.

The federal government also provides statistics on the number of people per state who have received one or two doses of a vaccine. As of March 2021, two vaccines Pfizer and Moderna require two doses before a person can be considered fully inoculated. On Feb. 27, the FDA granted emergency use authorization to Johnson & Johnson for the first vaccine to only require a single dose.

Under state eligibility guidelines, Virginia, Maryland and D.C. residents age 65 or older, as well as frontline health care providers and some other workers considered essential, are currently authorized to take the vaccine a category which includes several million in the D.C. region alone. The number of doses the federal government provides to the states is well short of the total number of people who are eligible to receive them.

To guarantee that data definitions do not vary between the states and the numbers can be compared directly, WTOP.com is using the CDC as its source for daily vaccination statistics. State health agencies in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia are also releasing numbers on their own dashboards alongside COVID-19 test results, including demographics on vaccine distribution and county-by-county breakdowns which the CDC does not currently provide as part of its national dataset.

More coronavirus coverage

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here:Virginia|Maryland|District of Columbia

Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

2021 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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Latest COVID-19 vaccination numbers in DC, Maryland and Virginia - WTOP

As of 28 February 2021, the Indonesian Government has announced 1,334,634 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in all 34 provinces in Indonesia, with 155,765 active cases, 36,166 deaths, and 1,142,703 people that have recovered from the illness. The government has also reported 71,668 suspected cases.

Recently, the bed occupancy rate (the number of filled beds and patients in Covid-19 referral hospitals) has decreased at the national level. There is no hospital occupancy rate that is above 70 percent, with the highest rate in Banten Province at 65 percent. as of 22 February 2021. Similarly, the occupancy rate of ICUs in COVID-19 referral hospitals in seven provinces of Java and Bali Islands has also decreased, with an average below 70 percent. This data shows an improvement in the situation, compared to that of January 2021.

Following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in West Sulawesi Province on 15 January 2021, the provincial COVID-19 Task Force reported significant increases of the number of COVID-19 infections in the province; on 6 January 2,020 COVID-19 confirmed cases were detected, and the number skyrocketed to 5,042 confirmed infected people on 19 February. Earthquake survivors, community and humanitarian responders have been requested to strictly apply the health protocols of wearing masks, washing hands frequently and maintaining social distance.

On 18 February, the Head of the COVID-19 Response and National Economic Recovery team (PCPEN) announced that Indonesia has secured more than 420 million doses of the vaccine for 180 million people; for 2021 the total amounts to 340.5 million vaccines (consisting of 125.5 million of the Sinovac vaccine, 52 million of Novavax, 54 million Covax / Gavi, 59 million of AstraZeneca, and 50 million doses of Pfizer); in 2022 totals will amount to 86.3 million vaccines (Novavax 22 million, Covax / Gavi 24 million, AstraZeneca 23.8 million, and Pfizer 16.5 million doses).

Vaccinations for medical workers are ongoing, and the implementation of the second phase of vaccination targeting 21.5 million elderly people and workforce in selected sectors started in mid-February 2020. As of 26 February, about 2.6 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Indonesia. As many as 1.6 million citizens have received the vaccine, with around one million of them having received the second shot of the vaccine that is coproduced by the state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma and Sinovac Biotech.

The private vaccination scheme (Gotong Royong or Mandiri) will run alongside with the national programme, following the Regulation by the Minister of Health, Number 10 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Vaccinations in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic, stipulated on 24 February 2021. The private scheme will target employees, family members and other related individuals. Currently, more than 8,000 companies have signed up for the private scheme, with procurement to be done through PT Bio Farma and PT Kimia Farma.

After evaluating the Restrictions on the Conduct of Public Activities (PPKM) in Java and Bali, which began on 11 January 2021, the Government implemented a micro-scale PPKM that started on 9 February 2021 and is based on the Minister of Home Affairs Instruction Number 3 of 2021. In micro-scale PPKM, there are provisions for the establishment of a Command Post for the COVID-19 response at the village level, which is tasked to manage the following zoning at the neighborhood (RT - Rukun Tetangga) level:

Green zone: no cases of corona virus transmission in one RT area.

Yellow zone: there are 1-5 houses that have confirmed positive for Covid-19 in one RT during the last seven days.

Orange zone: there are 6-10 houses with positive confirmed cases in one RT during the last seven days.

Red zone: there are more than ten houses with positive confirmed cases in one RT during the last seven days.In this red zone, a ban on crowds of more than three people and out-and-out activities starting at 8:00 p.m. and the closure of public facilities such as places of worship, children's playgrounds and other public facilities are implemented.

The Micro-scale PPKM also adjusts operating hours of restaurants and shopping centers to 21:00 hours, and a maximum of 50 percent work from office. The micro-scale PPKM will last until 8 March 2021, with a possible extension.

Programs on the COVID-19 response and national economic recovery in 2021 continue, with an adjusted Government budget of IDR. 699.4 trillion. The budget includes four aspects:

Health: IDR. 176.3 trillion,

Social protection: IDR. 157.4 trillion,

Financial support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives: IDR. 186.8 trillion,

Business and taxes: IDR. 53.9 trillion, and

Priority Program: IDR. 125.1 trillion.

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Situation Update: Response to COVID-19 in Indonesia (As of 1 March 2021) [EN/ID] - Indonesia - ReliefWeb

It is no surprise that four in five Americans (86 percent) reportedly take dietary supplements to improve their overall health. Now more than ever, health consciousness is at the forefront we are focused on improving our immune systems, specifically with an increased intake of readily accessible ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and enzymes, collectively known as dietary supplements. In the 27 years since Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 ("DSHEA"), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has had the authority to regulate dietary supplements; and, the FDA plays an important role in helping consumers make use of safe, high-quality dietary supplements while also protecting Americans from the potential dangers of products that dont meet the agencys standards for marketing.

Prior to the pandemic, the dietary supplement market grew by several billion dollars, which has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand has been greatest for supplements such as zinc, elderberry, and vitamins B, C, and D, which have been shown to support immune function. Analysis of social media activity related to dietary supplements has shown increased chatter on the benefits, and a push championing the use of dietary supplements to prevent infection. However, unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not permitted to be marketed for the purpose of treating, diagnosing, preventing, or curing diseases. Since the onset of COVID-19 in December 2019, FDA has issued numerous warning letters to companies whose products were marketed as dietary supplements but were actually being illegally advertised as unapproved new drugs because the products boasted unproven claims to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.

While there is limited current evidence to suggest this is the case, users should be aware that the FDA created a special emergency Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) for possible coronavirus therapies. As of January 31, 2021, more than 600 drugs have been under study as part of CTAP, and ClinicalTrials.gov lists over 140 clinical trials that are evaluating the effects of dietary supplements on COVID-19. To date, the FDA has not issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or new drug approval for the use of any dietary supplement to prevent, treat, cure or mitigate COVID-19.

Zinc (Zn), an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant micronutrient found in food, is essential for multiple cellular functions including maintenance of immune health. Pal et al. (2020) state that much of the current knowledge about the use of Zn as an antiviral therapy and immuno-modulatory agent has originated from studies done with other viral diseases. A previously described role of Zn ions and ionophores as potent inhibitors of various RNA viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is the rationale for using Zn. There were nearly two dozen clinical and observational studies of zinc and COVID-19 as of August 4, 2020, and 4 studies were exclusively using different combinations of dietary supplements including Zn as an intervention against COVID-19, but none of the four studies had been completed at the time of the review.

Vitamin C (i.e., ascorbic acid) is known to be a potent antioxidant; however, evidence does not support the routine use of vitamin C for prevention of viral infections, including the common cold. A shortening in duration of the common cold by 8% was suggested following meta-analyses of clinical trial data of regular vitamin C intake. But, Adams et al. (2020) state, It cannot be assumed, therefore, that outcomes of vitamin C from the management of the common cold will translate to the management of COVID-19.

Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin that, due to complex mechanisms, supports immune function, and contributes to the enhanced activity of our innate immunity. Observational data of low levels of vitamin D have been associated with acute respiratory viral infection. Studies from the Eastern Virginia Medical School noted that US patients with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to be hospitalized and had higher mortality rates after viral infection. Evaluation of patient data from more than 10,000 individuals from 25 clinical trials revealed that oral vitamin D3 supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infections and underlies the speculation for use of vitamin D during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elderberry (i.e., Sambucus nigra) has been hypothesized to have antiviral properties; however, there are no published studies evaluating the use of elderberry and COVID-19. Adams et al. (2020) state, Although elderberry and it phenolic acid components exhibit antiviral activity against human corona virus HCoV-NL63 in vitro, this cannot be extrapolated to COVID-19.

As we readily await the efficacy and worldwide administration of the COVID-19 vaccines, dietary supplements may be beneficial to your overall health. The option to provide our bodies with optimal support along with following best practices of prevention seems a viable option to keep our bodys immune system functioning well through the current pandemic and beyond.

Adams, K.K., Baker, W.L., Sobieraj, D.M. Myth Busters: Dietary Supplements and COVID-19. Ann Pharmacother, 2020 Aug;54(8):820-826. doi: 10.1177/1060028020928052

Ansorge, Rick. Are Vitamins C and D Effective in the Fight Against COVID-19? UCHealth Today, 9. Dec. 2020. http://www.uchealth.org/today/effectiveness-of-vitamins-c-and-d-against-covid-19/

Cabotaje, Angela. Can Taking Vitamins Help Prevent COVID-19? Right as Rain by UW Medicine, 2. Dec. 2020. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/well/health/vitamin-covid-19-prevention

Evans, A., Santos, E., Ford, M. Impact of COVID-19 on Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements. L.E.K. Insights. 1. May. 2020. https://www.lek.com/insights/ei/impact-covid-19-vitamins-minerals-and-supplements#.X_YDR_sWFWc.mailto

Commissioners Statement, February 11, 2019. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-agencys-new-efforts-strengthen-regulation-dietary

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=Covid19&term=dietary+supplement&type=&rslt=&age_v=&gndr=&intr=&titles=&outc=&spons=&lead=&id=&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=&locn=&rsub=&strd_s=&strd_e=&prcd_s=&prcd_e=&sfpd_s=&sfpd_e=&rfpd_s=&rfpd_e=&lupd_s=&lupd_e=&sort=

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/covid_view

Lechowicz, K., Drozdzal, S., Machaj, F., COVID-19: The Potential Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9. June. 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7356800/

Martineau, A.R., Jolliffe, D.A., Hooper, R.L., et al. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ. 2017;356:i6583. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6583

Pal, A., Squitti, R., Picozza, M., Pawar, A., Rongioletti, M., Dutta, A.K., Sahoo, S., Goswami, K., Sharma, P., Prasad, R. Zinc and COVID-19: Basis of Current Clinical Trials. Biol Trace Elem Res, 2020 Oct 22; 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s12011-020-02437-9

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Dietary Supplement Use and COVID-19: What You Need to Know - JD Supra

"Dallas County has received from the federal government, but the state has shorted us 56,000 doses," said Judge Jenkins on Sundays Inside Texas Politics.

DALLAS As the federal government began its own effort to vaccinate some of the most vulnerable people in Dallas, County Judge Clay Jenkins said the state has begun reducing how many coronavirus vaccines are available for everyone else.

As we sit here on Sunday, Dallas County has received from the federal government a total of 42,000 Pfizer doses and 6,000 Johnson & Johnson doses, Jenkins said on Sundays Inside Texas Politics. But the state has shorted us 56,000 doses.

Jenkins said he didnt know where the state is diverting the doses or understand why it is happening.

The decision is not only hurting Dallas Countys most vulnerable population, Jenkins said, but it is also delaying herd immunity.

Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation says if we can get the state doses back and keep the federal programs going, we can reach herd immunity by June, Jenkins said on the television program.

But the state refutes the judge's claim.

"Dallas County is not being shorted doses. They just arent being allowed to get doses from the state in addition to the doses from federal government because that would make their total allocation higher than their proportion of the states population," said Lara M. Anton, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

"One of the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panels directives is to distribute vaccine equitably to counties. When the federal government set up the three FEMA supported vaccination sites, they allocated doses directly to those counties. DSHS adjusted the amount allocated to Dallas County by the state to keep their allocation aligned with their proportion of the states population," she added.

Dallas County providers were allocated 43,325 first doses two weeks ago, 45,690 first doses last week and 61,120 for next week, according to the Texas DSHS.

Jenkins said Dallas County receives 21,000 Pfizer vaccines a week from the Biden Administration for the 17 most vulnerable and disadvantaged ZIP codes.

Starting this week, Dallas County is expected to begin receiving 6,000 Johnson & Johnson doses every week for residents in jail, mental health facilities and the homeless population, Jenkins said.

The judge also faced questions why the county has had several days with hundreds or thousands of vaccines available for residents in certain ZIP codes but no one in line to receive them.

Jenkins said management of the entire operation has smoothed out since the beginning.

But on Saturday, Jenkins again tweeted that vaccines were available for people needing second doses because no one was there.

We were having to catch up people for second doses who were on an old operating system. Now were on a new operating system. You get an appointment. The wait times are about 10 minutes and thats a good thing, he said.

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Texas is diverting thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses away from Dallas County, Judge Jenkins says - WFAA.com

The European Commission has started laying the groundwork for a vaccine passport that could let European Union citizens travel this summer, it announced.

The Commission intends to publish a legislative proposal for vaccine certification by the end of March, Commission chief spokesperson Eric Mamer said.

In January, the European Union and its 27 member states agreed a set of guidelines that would form the basis of the passports, but the exact information still needs to be determined, he said.

To avoid discrimination and citizens being turned away at a border, the Commissions intention is that the passports would not only state whether or not a person had been vaccinated, but also whether this person has had recent PCR test, or can be deemed Covid immune, for health reasons i.e., antibodies, Mamer added.

Asked whether the scope of the legal proposal would extend to international travelers traveling into the EU, Mamer said: We will have to come back to you once the proposal is made, we cannot give details for the moment.

Expanding on the details of technical work currently underway to prepare the passports Johannes Bahrke, the EUs Digital Economy spokesperson said, It's a question of: how a certificate can be checked, because it's important that they are safe; and how the data is safe; what's the technical standard.

Bahrke said, all these kind of details now need to be agreed among member states based on the guidelines that are in place.

Speaking following a meeting of European Leaders last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it would be at least three months before the passports could be rolled out.

Member states will need to move fast with the implementation if we want such a green certificate to be in place by summer, von der Leyen said. They will have to ensure a quick and complete rollout in the National Health System, and in the border systems."

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The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines: Live updated - CNN

For Immediate Release: February 27, 2021

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.

The authorization of this vaccine expands the availability of vaccines, the best medical prevention method for COVID-19, to help us in the fight against this pandemic, which has claimed over half a million lives in the United States, said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. The FDA, through our open and transparent scientific review process, has now authorized three COVID-19 vaccines with the urgency called for during this pandemic, using the agencys rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.

The FDA has determined that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine has met the statutory criteria for issuance of an EUA. The totality of the available data provides clear evidence that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine may be effective in preventing COVID-19. The data also show that the vaccines known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks, supporting the companys request for the vaccines use in people 18 years of age and older. In making this determination, the FDA can assure the public and medical community that it has conducted a thorough evaluation of the available safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality information.

The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is manufactured using a specific type of virus called adenovirus type 26 (Ad26). The vaccine uses Ad26 to deliver a piece of the DNA, or genetic material, that is used to make the distinctive spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While adenoviruses are a group of viruses that are relatively common, Ad26, which can cause cold symptoms and pink eye, has been modified for the vaccine so that it cannot replicate in the human body to cause illness. After a person receives this vaccine, the body can temporarily make the spike protein, which does not cause disease, but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively, producing an immune response against SARS-CoV-2.

After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDAs scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDAs expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization of a vaccine for emergency use, said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. With todays authorization, we are adding another vaccine in our medical toolbox to fight this virus. At the same time, the American people can be assured of the FDAs unwavering commitment to public health through our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data submitted for vaccines to prevent COVID-19.

FDA Evaluation of Available Safety Data

The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a single dose. The available safety data to support the EUA include an analysis of 43,783 participants enrolled in an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study being conducted in South Africa, certain countries in South America, Mexico, and the U.S. The participants, 21,895 of whom received the vaccine and 21,888 of whom received saline placebo, were followed for a median of eight weeks after vaccination. The most commonly reported side effects were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and nausea. Most of these side effects were mild to moderate in severity and lasted 1-2 days.

As part of the authorization, the FDA notes that it is mandatory for Janssen Biotech Inc. and vaccination providers to report the following to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine: serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death.

It is also mandatory for vaccination providers to report all vaccine administration errors to VAERS for which they become aware and for Janssen Biotech Inc. to include a summary and analysis of all identified vaccine administration errors in monthly safety reports submitted to the FDA.

FDA Evaluation of Available Effectiveness Data

The effectiveness data to support the EUA include an analysis of 39,321 participants in the ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study being conducted in South Africa, certain countries in South America, Mexico, and the U.S. who did not have evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to receiving the vaccine. Among these participants, 19,630 received the vaccine and 19,691 received saline placebo. Overall, the vaccine was approximately 67% effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.

Additionally, the vaccine was approximately 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.

There were 116 cases of COVID-19 in the vaccine group that occurred at least 14 days after vaccination, and 348 cases of COVID-19 in the placebo group during this time period. There were 66 cases of COVID-19 in the vaccine group that occurred at least 28 days after vaccination and 193 cases of COVID-19 in the placebo group during this time period. Starting 14 days after vaccination, there were 14 severe/critical cases in the vaccinated group versus 60 in the placebo group, and starting 28 days after vaccination, there were 5 severe/critical in the vaccine group versus 34 cases in the placebo group.

At this time, data are not available to determine how long the vaccine will provide protection, nor is there evidence that the vaccine prevents transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from person to person.

The EUA Process

On the basis of the determination by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 4, 2020, that there is a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad, and issued declarations that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of unapproved products, the FDA may issue an EUA to allow unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent COVID-19 when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.

The issuance of an EUA is different than an FDA approval (licensure) of a vaccine, in that a vaccine available under an EUA is not approved. In determining whether to issue an EUA for a product, the FDA evaluates the available evidence to determine whether the product may be effective and also assesses any known or potential risks and any known or potential benefits If the product meets the effectiveness standard and the benefit-risk assessment is favorable, the product is made available during the emergency. Once a manufacturer submits an EUA request for a COVID-19 vaccine to the FDA, the agency then evaluates the request and determines whether the relevant statutory criteria are met, taking into account the totality of the scientific evidence about the vaccine that is available to the FDA.

The EUA also requires that fact sheets that provide important information, including dosing instructions, and information about the benefits and risks of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, be made available to vaccination providers and vaccine recipients.

Janssen Biotech Inc. has submitted a pharmacovigilance plan to the FDA describing its commitment to monitor the safety of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. The pharmacovigilance plan includes a plan to complete longer-term safety follow-up for participants enrolled in ongoing clinical trials. The pharmacovigilance plan also includes other activities aimed at monitoring the safety profile of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine and ensuring that any safety concerns are identified and evaluated in a timely manner.

The FDA also expects manufacturers whose COVID-19 vaccines are authorized under an EUA to continue their clinical trials to obtain additional safety and effectiveness information and pursue approval (licensure).

The EUA for the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to Janssen Biotech Inc., a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson. The authorization will be effective until the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of drugs and biologics for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 is terminated. The EUA for Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine may be revised or revoked if it is determined the EUA no longer meets the statutory criteria for issuance.

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FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Third COVID-19 Vaccine - FDA.gov

ONE IN FIVE ADULTS UNDER 70 IN ENGLAND GIVEN FIRST COVID JAB, FIGURES SHOW

One in five adults in England aged under 70 have had their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, new data suggests.

Provisional figures from NHS England, published on Thursday, show that 16,337,561 Covid-19 vaccinations took place in England between December 8 and February 24, including first and second doses.

This is a rise of 411,146 on the previous day's figures.

Of this number, 15,794,992 were the first dose of a vaccine, a rise of 396,937 on the previous day, while 542,569 were a second dose, an increase of 14,209.

An estimated 20.3% of people aged 16 to 69 had received their first jab as of February 21. The estimates show little variation between the regions, ranging from 17.2% in London to 22.3% in north-west England.

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Coronavirus UK news update Covid alert drops from 5 to 4 as Queen asks Brits wary of vaccine to think abo - The Sun