A Guide to Covid-19 Vaccines

The Covid-19 vaccines have been hailed as a remarkable medical feat as they were developed under ten months since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Traditionally, vaccines have taken from around 10-15 years to be developed. The collaboration of governments, medical companies, and other interest groups has helped ensure that the Covid-19 vaccines roll out under record time.

However, some people don’t seem to associate this relatively quick delivery with success. Those who are hesitant about the vaccine think it’s not as reliable as it may have been rushed into development.

The reports of isolated incidences involving rare side effects such as blood clots forming due to some types of vaccines have also diminished the public’s trust and spread skepticism.

Vaccination is a crucial step in curbing the spread of the virus and protecting at-risk groups from severe complications. We’ve compiled the reviews for the Covid-19 vaccines to summarize the performances of each as of yet. Here are some prominent Covid-19 vaccines and a rundown of how they’ve performed till now:

Pfizer-BioNTech

Pfizer collaborated with BioNTech to develop an mRNA vaccine. An mRNA vaccine contains the virus’s genetic material instead of the actual virus, so the body’s immune system reacts and produces the appropriate antibodies to combat it. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is free of allergens. It has been approved for use on patients who are 16 years and older.

This vaccine needs to be administered in 2 separate doses, which can be at least 2 weeks apart. It also has a high level of efficacy. Efficacy relates to how well a vaccine performs under controlled circumstances, such as in a lab.

It is reported to provide a 95% level of protection against the coronavirus, but the 2 doses are crucial to attaining this level of protection. This vaccine can reportedly reduce the risk of severe illnesses by 92%. Initial research has suggested that the vaccine would be effective in protecting against the current coronavirus variants.

Moderna

Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is also an mRNA vaccine. It is reported to be more than 90% effective. Moderna also needs to be administered in two doses one month apart. It has been approved for people who are 18 years and older.

Johnson & Johnson

The CDC and FDA have placed a temporary halt on the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This is due to emerging evidence of rare and severe blood clots that have formed in some patients.

Early research showed that this vaccine was efficient in protecting against the asymptomatic Covid-19 cases. The efficacy rate of the vaccine was around 66.3%.

Oxford-AstraZeneca

This vaccine isn’t an mRNA vaccine. It was produced by using a weekend version of the common cold virus that was extracted from chimpanzees.

The virus was then modified to include the genetic material of the coronavirus. It is important to note that this vaccine doesn’t cause coronavirus disease.

There have been reports of rare side effects of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: blood clots. These side effects cases are quite rare at the moment. However, with increased investigation and regulation, WHO has recommended its use to be resumed. There is much evidence that proves the vaccine is effective against the Kent variant of the coronavirus, common in the UK.

Maintaining the cold chain for the Covid-19 vaccine distribution is a hurdle that many governments and healthcare providers are facing. Frequent temperature changes can render the vaccine ineffective. Portable refrigerators are one way to aid the distribution of the vaccine to communities that need them most.

Using the proper lab equipment and storage facility can enable healthcare institutions to vaccinate the population effectively. If you’re a healthcare provider looking for reliable refrigerants, we can help.

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