COVID On Air #15: Vial and Sword pt 2

In Episode 15: Vial and Sword, our host Josh Farden speaks with Jeremy Rossman, Ph.D for the second time. This time, they discuss the complicated rollout of vaccines globally. Dr. Rossman is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology at the University of Kent and the President of Research-Aid Networks.

Starting off, Dr. Rossman talks about herd immunity and whether or not it’s even feasible. Currently, the problem is we don’t know if herd immunity is possible with COVID. While there’s a much lower transmission rate when vaccinated, doctors are still seeing infections with people who are fully or partially vaccinated. This is partially because some vaccines have a lower efficacy rate than others.

Another reason herd immunity hasn’t been achieved is because of the variant strains. There are many variants of COVID in South Africa, Brazil, and India, all with various levels of contagiousness. Dr. Rossman stresses that our current vaccines still protect a community from hospitalization, even if the virus has mutated.

One of the more controversial topics is vaccines being considered a commodity versus a humanitarian effort. This means that some countries view giving high efficacy vaccines to the highest bidder, or to be used as a political tool. Others may consider giving the “less desirable” vaccine reserves to poorer countries. Many countries may not see vaccines for over a year or more. 

It’s easy to focus on our own community or country. In the US, many are getting vaccinated. Across the globe, the virus is still evolving because it’s spreading rapidly. Eventually, there’s a chance it will mutate into a variant that will bypass the vaccines altogether if we don’t get it under control now. 

Right now, many countries are going back and forth about patent waivers. President Biden is for it, meaning countries can have access to the technology to get vaccines created in their own country. However, many places in Europe don’t believe it would be effective. The worry is that different distribution centers may create vaccines that are not as good as the originals. Regardless, having a variety of vaccines is important, as the ultimate goal is to get most of the world’s population vaccinated. 

Dr. Rossman then addresses the general concerns people have about getting the vaccines. One of the biggest arguments is the “newness” of it. People want to see what the long-lasting effects are. Many don’t realize that mRNA vaccine technology has been in production for years and is safe and effective. The positive uses for them, including protection for yourself and loved ones from COVID, far outweigh any initial side effects. 

Lastly, on a positive note, Dr. Rossman says there are more vaccines coming down the pike. This means there are more opportunities for global distribution, many of which may be being created in their home countries as we speak.

Key Takeaways: 

• Currently, the vaccines that have the highest efficacy rate are Moderna and Pfizer. This means they are the most effective against getting a COVID infection.

• Others may not be as effective but are still very good at preventing severe COVID illness or hospitalization.

• Dr. Rossman notes that the numbers with herd immunity (70%) and R0 number (mathematical calculation showing how infectious a disease is) are just starting points. These numbers change with each variant and environment. These numbers are helpful tools, but not 100% reliable.

• Having international vaccine distribution via patent waivers would give vaccine equity to countries that do not have access to it otherwise, and may not see COVID vaccines for months or years.

• Sending “less desirable” vaccines to underdeveloped countries is a bad message to send to the world and contributes to systemic inequities that already exist.

• If the vaccines can be stored at higher temperatures, this could lead to easier distribution. 

• There is not enough data from clinical trials to support whether or not mixing vaccines could produce better results, but it looks promising.

• mNRA technology is game-changing as it can be adapted easily, and can be scaled up very fast to mass production at an affordable level.

• To get access to vaccines easier, Dr. Rossman suggests tech transferring hubs where experts understand what is currently available in the country, and modifies accordingly to fit the country's needs to ensure successful vaccine distribution.