South Africa has paused rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine over concerns it will not protect people from mild-versions of the South African strain. Reading that news might make you feel panicky, as we’ve hinged all hopes of ‘returning to normal’ on successful vaccination. Take a breath – at Zee Feed, we don’t do panic. Instead, we’re arming you with the info you need to process this news story: Will the AstraZeneca vaccine be used in Australia? Which other vaccines will Australia use? And how do they differ from each other?
Here’s what you need to know about the three vaccines Australia will be rolling out:
AstraZeneca | Pfizer BioNTech | Novavax | |
Type | Viral vector | mRNA-based | Protein |
Secured Doses | 53.8 million | 10 million | 51 million |
Efficacy | Approx 70% | 90-95% | 89% in the UK; 50-60% in South Africa |
Prevent Transmission? | There is some initial evidence it may prevent transmission, but it primarily prevents the disease | Unknown, as this was not measured in trials | Early signs that this may prevent transmission in trials using monkeys |
University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine
Type: Viral Vector vaccine. This administers a modified version of a similar but different virus (a vector) that has a spike protein like COVID-19 does. Our immune system registers the spike protein as something that does not belong in the body, and produces the antibodies to fight the ‘faux’ infection. Now your body knows exactly what to do if you contract actual COVID-19.
Secured Doses: 53.8 million
Efficacy: Approx. 70% overall efficacy in clinical trials.
The new study of 2000 people has found that this vaccine may be less effective at preventing mild and moderate cases of the South African variant of the COVID-19 disease. This study has not been peer-reviewed yet.
Transmission: There is some evidence it may prevent transmission. It primarily prevents the disease, not the spread.
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Pfizer BioNTech
Type: mRNA-based. The “m” stands for “messenger” – these vaccines are instructional, so they teach our body’s cells to make the spike protein (rather than bringing one in). Once the spike protein is made, our immune system recognises that it doesn’t belong and makes antibodies to fight it.
Secured Doses: 10 million (with the option to buy more once available)
Efficacy: Reports of 90 – 95%
Transmission: It’s unknown whether this vaccine prevents transmission, as this was not measured in the trials
Novavax
Type: Protein. Introduces the harmless spike protein from the actual COVID-19 virus to the body, but not the entire virus itself. Our immune system recognises that it doesn’t belong, produces the antibodies to fight it, thus learning how to destroy the whole virus in the future.
Secured Doses: 51 million
Efficacy: UK trials showed around 89% efficacy; South African trials had between 50 – 65% efficacy
Transmission: There are very early signs that the Novavax vaccine may help reduce transmission in clinical trials using monkeys. However, we do not know if the same result will be seen in humans.
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