"Hand in medical gloves holding syringe over bottle with Coronavirus Vaccine text"by wuestenigel is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The COVID-19 vaccine is the most immediate focus in modern politics, and it has the government’s full attention. Its potency has formed controversies around the world and its distribution is fundamental to how soon we will be able to get back to school; how soon we will be able to see our friends; how many people it will save; and how quickly this economic crisis will be behind us.
What are the different types of vaccines?
Each of the vaccines that are under review have been tested in trials with over 20,000 people before being approved for use. Currently, in the UK there are two main vaccines being administered: the Oxford (AstraZeneca) vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine. They both have minor side effects including arm pain, headaches, muscle aches, chills, and fatigue. Trials reported that the Pfizer vaccine can prevent 95% of cases. Results from the UK and Brazil trials show the AstraZeneca vaccine to have a 70.4% rate of efficacy after a single dose. Various strains react differently to the vaccine, with AstraZeneca reportedly less effective against the South Africa strain. Luckily, both vaccines are very effective in prevention of the Kent strain, which is more prevalent in the UK. However, the Pfizer vaccine is overall more successful.
What are mRNA vaccines?
All vaccines are designed around teaching the immune system how to respond to a pathogen. The body’s immune response to harmful microorganisms is based on how it recognises the spike proteins found on the surface of the coronavirus. The mRNA vaccines contain the genetic code of the spike protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. An mRNA vaccine is a vaccine that uses a copy of a natural chemical called messenger RNA (mRNA) to produce an immune response. RNA is much like DNA in its structure and purpose: it carries genetic code. This is the first mRNA vaccine to have passed clinical trials. Normally it is a weakened form of the pathogen itself that is used. When injected into the body, the immune system recognises it as a threat and initiates an immune response. This means that if the immune system then recognises the spike protein of the coronavirus later on (when infected), it will be able to respond effectively and quickly.
What are paediatric vaccines?
A paediatric vaccine is administered to infants, making them immune from a very young age. Recently, there has been research conducted in a bid to create a paediatric vaccine that works in children ranging from birth to adulthood. This would pave the way back to normality: if the later generations have immunity, soon COVID-19 would be wiped out. We have already eradicated the disease Smallpox in a similar way. The testing is still underway, but so far, there have been positive outcomes. Hopefully this will be the first step to a more normal future.
The politics
While science discovered the vaccine, it has now been handed over to politicians to distribute it. If you have been keeping up with the news you will probably know that the UK has the quickest rollout of vaccines in Europe (so far in the UK, 20,703,615 people have had their first dose of the vaccine at time of writing). The EU is quite a lot behind the UK and is vaccinating only as quickly as its slowest member. The significant difference between the rollout rates of the EU and UK does beg the question, ‘what is the UK doing so well?’
The British government’s approach to the challenge of the administration of vaccines was by creating a vaccine taskforce (essentially the Avengers of vaccination). This taskforce was led by Kate Bingham, a venture capitalist who spent her career investing in pharmaceutical companies. It was clear to Kate and the rest of the taskforce that the UK could not rely on just one vaccine.
The problem of which vaccines to order and distribute was brought to light: 7 vaccines have been ordered, 2 of which have already been given to millions of people (Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca). The Oxford vaccine is produced mainly in the UK and this makes it very easy to supply it to hospitals and vaccination centres within the UK. It also means that there are less likely to be any trading and transportation issues.
There are quite a few reasons why trade of the vaccines has been complicated. There are logistical problems, with the Pfizer vaccine requiring a storage temperature of between -80 and -60 °C. Closure of French borders due to the emergence of the Kent variant meant deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were stuck on motorways and the distribution of the vaccine was hindered. The decision to mass produce the Oxford/ AstraZeneca vaccine in the UK was one which paid off when this development cut off the UK from alternative sources. Another instance where the distribution of vaccines was hindered was when the EU triggered article 16 from the Northern Ireland Protocol, suspending the export of vaccines and other goods from the EU. This decision was, however, revoked 5 hours later, and said to be an error.
Vaccination is the most vital aspect of modern global politics. The scientific innovation of mRNA vaccination, coupled with effective distribution schemes, will bring back the days when there was no COVID-19, no lockdown, no daily death tolls or national addresses. Vaccination will cause a dramatic falloff in death and transmission rates. The vaccine development rate itself is a scientific phenomenon. The research and testing process that normally would have taken years to generate is extremely impressive, especially given the use of an emergent biochemical technology: mRNA. This hopefully means that shops, bars, schools, restaurants, cinemas, workplaces and everything that has had to remain closed can reopen and be available to the public, and the recuperation of our economy can begin. However, there have been political complications in the vaccination process. The UK has been lucky to have AstraZeneca more readily available and has rolled out the most vaccines in Europe.
We have all missed normal London life – the hum and bustle of London life, the shopping days, the visits to friends and family. Soon, because of the vaccines, these all will become reality once more.
Written by Jasmine Withers and Lara Atkinson
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