Vaccines

Israel initiated a massive vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 very early on in the outbreak. More than half of the population had been fully vaccinated (2 doses) by the end of March 2021. Incidence fell from 900 cases per million inhabitants per day in mid-January, to less than 2 by June 2021. However, the emergence of […]

Since March 2020, the entire world has been destabilised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the extraordinarily rapid development of the production and distribution of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (although geographically unequal) the  world sees hope that we might be able to resolve this crisis just 15 months after the beginning of the pandemic. Two vaccines […]

Independent clinical trials have shown that the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines give 94-95% protection against symptomatic forms of COVID-19. But immunocompromised patients, who in general develop a less robust immune response, were not included in these trials. However, amongst this group there are patients with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy and whose care […]

Seventeen months after SARS-CoV-2 was identified, 6 vaccines against COVID-19 were already available. These vaccines give effective protection against serious illness and death. They reduce asymptomatic infection and limit the spread of the virus. However, supply of vaccines is still limited despite huge production efforts. It is therefore important that other vaccines be made available. […]

In certain countries, the deployment of safe and effective vaccines has enabled a reduction in numbers of cases, hospitalisations and deaths due to COVID-19. The possible need for a third dose, to compensate for a potential weakening of immunity or to increase protection against certain variants, has encouraged “vaccine nationalism”, that is, where countries stock-pile […]

Infection by SARS-CoV-2 and vaccination are 2 ways of acquiring protective immunity. After infection, an immune-memory response remains active for at least 8 months, deploying antibodies along with CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, mRNA vaccines have proved very effective in preventing serious cases of COVID-19. In clinical trials of Moderna, 2 doses […]

The various epidemics of Sarbecoviruses, coronaviruses originating from bats (SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV) suggest that we are not safe from future outbreaks.  In addition, SARS-CoV-2 variants such as the Alpha (UK), Beta (South African) and Delta (Indian) variants are able to partially evade the antibodies activated by vaccination. It is in this context that American […]

In August 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated 4 variants as “of concern” (Variants of Concern, VOC): the Alpha/UK, the Beta/South African, the Gamma/Brazilian and the Delta/Indian variants. This classification was based on their abilities to spread and to escape immune responses, and on their virulence. Amongst the 21 vaccines that have been urgently […]

Mass vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is the best means we have of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines, which are based on immunity created by targeting the spike protein which governs the entry of the virus into the cell, have been shown to be more than 94% effective in preventing symptomatic cases. […]

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to weigh heavily on our public health systems. Mass vaccination is one of the major factors in in helping to slow or halt the epidemic. However, in many countries, the supply of vaccines is a problem. The gap between 2 doses has had to be increased in order to be able […]