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HEALTH-VIRUS-VACCINE-WHO
No widespread coronavirus vaccination before mid-2021: WHO
GENEVA, Sept 4, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The World Health Organization said
Friday it did not expect widespread immunisation against the novel
coronavirus until mid-2021, despite growing expectations in the US and
beyond that a vaccine could be released within weeks.
Across the world, governments are hoping to announce a vaccine as
soon as possible and roll out treatments for Covid-19, which has
killed nearly 870,000 people and infected well over 26 million.
The UN health agency welcomed the fact that a “considerable number”
of vaccine candidates had entered final stage Phase III trials, which
typically involve tens of thousands of people.
“We know of at least six to nine that have got quite a long way
with the research already,” WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told
reporters in Geneva.
However, she stressed, “in terms of realistic timelines, we are
really not expecting to see widespread vaccination until the middle of
next year”.
Under normal procedures, test administrators must wait for months
or years to verify that vaccine candidates are safe and efficacious.
But as the pandemic continues to take a devastating toll, there has
been massive pressure to roll out a vaccine quickly.
It was revealed this week that Washington has urged US states to
get ready for a potential coronavirus vaccine rollout by November 1,
sparking concerns President Donald Trump’s administration is rushing
to begin distributing a vaccine before the November 3 elections.
The US Food and Drug Administration has also raised the possibility
that a vaccine might be given emergency authorisation before the end
of trials.
The FDA has faced allegations from the medical community, which it
has denied, that it is bowing to political pressure from Trump, who is
trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the polls.
– No cutting corners –
The worry is that, for emergency use approval, the bar for ruling a
vaccine safe and effective is lower than that for normal full
approvals.
Several pharmaceutical company executives stressed Thursday the
importance of sticking to high testing norms, vowing not to cut
corners on safety and efficacy standards, even as they race to bring
coronavirus vaccines and treatments to market.
“The good news is the manufacturers are already putting bets on
which one is likely to be the vaccine,” Harris said.
Many were “already working out how they can scale up production of
vaccines once we know which one are the ones we will roll out,” she
said.
According to the WHO, 34 vaccine candidates worldwide are currently
in the various phases of being tested on humans, while a further 142
are in pre-clinical evaluation.
Soumya Swaminathan, the WHO’s chief scientist, told reporters
earlier this week that the UN agency was working with experts around
the world, including at the FDA, to clarify the criteria for declaring
a vaccine candidates safe and efficacious.
“We’d like to see a vaccine with at least 50 percent efficacy,
preferably higher,” she said.
BSS/AFP/MRU/1943hrs