It Is Not Vaccines That Will Stop The Pandemic, It ‘s Vaccination

Impartial and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic globally. It is immensely encouraging to see many vaccines proving and going into development.

Research institutes, vaccine manufacturers, health authorities, state and central government of India and WHO is working tirelessly with partners to develop, manufacture, research and deploy safe and effective vaccines. 

The game changer to the pandemic is safe and effective vaccination. Despite the ongoing vaccination protection by wearing masks, cleaning our hands, ensuring good ventilation indoors, physically distancing and avoiding crowds should be an ongoing and continuous process. Being vaccinated does not mean that we become careless and proceed with our daily lives without these precautions. This would mean putting ourselves and others at risk. At this stage vaccination and its complete assurance is still in its nascent stage, research is still going as to how vaccines protect not only against disease but also against infection and the spread of diseases via different transmission modes or channels.

This piece aims to track Covid19 Vaccine, progress of vaccines and which vaccines are approved and which are in the trial and research stage. By the numbers we have 28 approved vaccines, 194 countries with approved vaccines, 8 World Health Organisation (WHO) EUL vaccines, 168 vaccine candidates, 533 vaccine trials, 62 countries with vaccine trials.

Types of Vaccine Platforms

All vaccine platforms are designed to train our immune system. There are two types of vaccine platforms designed to train our immune system. They are:

1. Types of component viral vaccines

2. Protein subunit - Contains isolated and purified viral proteins

3. Virus like particles (VLP) - Contains viral proteins that mimic the structure of the virus, but no genetic material

4. DNA based - Contains viral genetic material (such as mRNA) which provides the instructions for making viral proteins

5. RNA based - Contains viral genetic material (such as mRNA) which provides the instructions for making viral proteins

6. Non-Replicating Viral Vector - Contains viral genetic material packaged inside another harmless virus that can copy itself

7. Types of whole virus vaccines

8. Inactivated - Contains copies of the virus that have been killed (inactivated)

9. Live-Attenuated - Contains copies of the virus that have been weakened (attenuated)

How Vaccines Work

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. The spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 is an example of an antigen.

Vaccines are the best way to train our immune system to recognize viruses, or pieces of viruses, called antigens. Our immune system creates antibodies and other defences to protect us.

When a vaccinated person is exposed to SARS-CoV-2, their immune system will recognize the viral antigens and spring into action to keep them healthy. There are many different types of vaccines, as seen in the diagram above.

7 Vaccines Approved For Use In India

1. Zydus Cadila  ZyCoV-D manufactured and developed by Cadila Healthcare Pharmaceutical Company, this is DNA based approved in 1 country and 5 trials in 1 country.

2. Moderna mRNA -1273 manufactured and developed by Moderna, NIAID; this is RNA based approved in 80 countries, 34 trials in 8 countries.

3. Gamaleya Sputnik V manufactured and developed by Gamaleya Research Institute, it is non-replicating viral vector based, approved in 74 countries, 22 trials in 7 countries.

4. Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Ad26.COV2.S manufactured and developed by Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, it is non replicating viral vector based, approved in 89 countries, 16 trials in 18 countries.

5. Oxford/AstraZeneca AZD1222 manufactured and developed by AstraZeneca, Serum Institute of India, it is non replicating viral vector based, approved in 127 countries, 52 trials in 23 countries.

6. Covishield, Oxford/ AstraZeneca formulation manufactured and developed by AstraZeneca, Serum Institute of India, it is non replicating viral vector based, approved in 47 countries, 2 trails in 1 country.

7. Bharat Biotech Covaxin manufactured and developed by Bharat Biotech, it is inactivated currently, approved in 12 countries, 7 trials in 1 country.

14 Vaccines In Clinical Trials In India

1. Novavax NVX-CoV2373, protein subunit based on 11 trials in 7 countries.

2. Serum Institute of India COVAVAX (Novavax formulation), protein subunit based, approved in 2 countries, 2 trials in 1 country.

3. University Medical Center Groningen AKS-452, protein subunit based, 4 trails in 2 countries.

4. Zydus Cadila ZyCoV-D, DNA based, approved in 1 country, 5 trials in 1 country.

5. Gamaleya Sputnik V non replicating viral vector based approved in 74 countries, 22 trials in 7 countries.

6. Oxford/AstraZeneca AZD1222, non replicating viral vector based, approved in 127 countries, 52 trials in 23 countries.

7. Serum Institute of India Covishield (Oxford/AstraZeneca formulation), non replicating viral vector based, approved in 47 countries, 2 trials in 1 country.

8. Bharat Biotech Covaxin, inactivated, approved in 12 countries, 7 trials in 1 country.

9. Biological E Limited BECOV2A, protein subunit based 2 trails in 1 country.

10. Biological E Limited BECOV2B, protein subunit based 2 trials in 1 country.

11. Biological E Limited BECOV2C, protein subunit based 2 trials in 1 country.

12. Biological E Limited BECOV2D, protein subunit based 2 trials in 1 country.

13. Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Limited HGCO19, RNA based 2 trials in 1 country.

14. Bharat Biotech BBV154, non replicating viral vector based, 1 trail in 1 country.

The Indian Landscape, Which Vaccines Is India Using

India is using three vaccines; these are Oxford-AstraZeneca locally known as Covishield, Covaxin and SputnikV. Since 16 January 2021, this is when India started its vaccination, since then India has administered one billion vaccinations. 291 million is the fully vaccinated number totaling to only 30%, with 707 million having had their first dose. India stands second, after the US and Brazil with a reported number of 34 million Covid cases, 452000 deaths. Vaccination for those under the age of 18 has also been approved in India.

Vaccination is voluntary in India; there are several vaccines which are in various stages of approval. 60000 centers are where one can get vaccinated, these are mostly state run, however one can also get vaccinated at a private hospital or facility. The central government of India is using around $5bn for Covid 19 vaccination. This expense ensures free doses to its citizens at state run clinics and hospitals and public health centers.