Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Danish study on the efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine after first and second dose

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues, many countries have rolled out vaccines against the virus. In an encouraging preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server, scientists report on the vaccine efficacy in the Danish vaccination program.

10 Mar 2021

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant most problematic for BNT-162b2 vaccine

Researchers from Germany and the US investigated the efficacy of neutralizing antibodies against newer variants using serum and saliva samples obtained from groups of infected, vaccinated (with Pfizer BNT-162b2), and uninfected individuals. The researchers started this study to uncover vaccine-induced immune response and show the efficiency of antibody binding and neutralization in SARS-CoV-2 variants.

10 Mar 2021

Study confirms COVID-19 vaccine rollout decreasing disease incidence across USA

By comparing vaccination rates in 580 counties across the United States with the corresponding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) incidence rates, a recent study currently available on the medRxiv preprint server finds that cumulative county-level vaccination rates are significantly associated with a concomitant fall in the incidence of COVID-19.

10 Mar 2021

Genome-wide covariation analysis sheds light on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have computed genome-wide covariation within severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to investigate interactions that could be of considerable importance in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

10 Mar 2021

Mass immunization to stop Ebola outbreak in Guinea

As the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Africa this week, another vaccine was being rolled out in Guinea, in a bid to stop a fresh outbreak of Ebola in its tracks.

10 Mar 2021

New technology may expand health inequalities worldwide

Rich countries get vaccines first. People with high status or a lot of money are healthier and live longer. New technology could increase the disparities.

10 Mar 2021

Researcher find an emergent SARS-CoV-2 variant in California

Researchers have found a new SARS-CoV-2 variant in California, USA. This variant is more transmissible than circulating strains but slightly less transmissible than the new N501Y variant and moderately resistant to antibodies in convalescent sera and mRNA vaccines.

10 Mar 2021

Researchers characterize antibody responses to COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine

A team of scientists from the USA and Canada has recently characterized the antibodies developed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in response to an mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.

10 Mar 2021

What childhood vaccine rates can, and can’t, teach us about Covid vaccines

Polls show Americans are increasingly interested in getting vaccinated against Covid-19, but such surveys are largely national, leaving a big question: When the vaccines become available to the general public, will enough people get it in your county, city or neighborhood to keep your community safe?

10 Mar 2021

Pfizer’s newest vaccine plant has persistent mold issues, history of recalls

Pfizer's management knew last year there was "a mold issue" at the Kansas facility now slated to produce the drugmaker's urgently needed covid-19 vaccine, according to a Food and Drug Administration inspection report.

10 Mar 2021

Single mRNA vaccine dose may be enough for those previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2

New research supports the notion that those who have recovered from COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, may only need one dose of an mRNA vaccine to boost immunity.

10 Mar 2021

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines show high efficacy in pregnancy and lactation

A reassuring study reports the immunogenicity and lack of reactogenicity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine when given to this group of subjects. This will contribute to the sum of knowledge about the implications of vaccination in this high-risk cohort.

10 Mar 2021

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine elicits antibodies in blood and breastmilk simultaneously, finds study

A new study adds to the sum of knowledge around this issue, showing a highly synchronized and rapid development of an antibody response in breast milk and serum, which reached stable levels around two weeks after the second dose of the vaccine was administered.

10 Mar 2021

Study provides accurate data on allergic reactions related to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

Almost immediately after the first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines were authorized for emergency use and were administered to individuals outside of clinical trials, reports of anaphylaxis--a life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction--raised widespread concerns among experts and the public.

10 Mar 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate produces strong immune response, prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate, developed by giving a key protein's gene a ride into the body while encased in a measles vaccine, has been shown to produce a strong immune response and prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and lung disease in multiple animal studies.

10 Mar 2021

Delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines has benefits, but longer-term results rely on robust immunity

Delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines should reduce case numbers in the near term.

10 Mar 2021

Researchers discover new COVID-19 variants in three South African provinces

Variants of the coronavirus are appearing in different parts of the world, many of them spreading with alarming speed.

10 Mar 2021

Uppsala Health Summit to focus on behavioral changes, antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global threat to human and animal health. This year's Uppsala Health Summit, which will take place online on 15-18 March, will discuss how behaviour change across various sectors of society can slow down this worrying trend.

10 Mar 2021

Analysis shows moderate evidence for SARS-CoV-2 recombination

Recently, a team of researchers from the US performed a comprehensive recombination analysis across all medically relevant human coronaviruses, including 158,118 public seasonal hCoV, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV genome sequences with the help of the RDP4 software. They aimed at identifying the current and future risks of the emergence of recombinants of SARS-CoV-2

10 Mar 2021

New study assesses the effects of one versus two doses of COVID-19 vaccine

While receiving just one dose of a two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine tends to decrease infections in the short-term if it produces a strong immune response, it may increase the potential for the virus to "escape" therapies in the longer-term if one-dose vaccinal immunity is weak.

9 Mar 2021