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BREAKING—Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine is 70% effective overall. But one of its dosing regimens of low-then-high yields 90% effectiveness.
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
Oxford #COVID19 vaccine cheaper than the Pfizer & Moderna vaccines, and does *not* does not require freezing transport.https://t.co/sHmLvcvonh
3) There were also lower levels of asymptomatic infection in the low followed by high dose group which "means we might be able to halt the virus in its tracks," Prof Pollard said.
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
In the UK there are 4 million doses ready to go, with another 96 million to be delivered.
5) Separately, IMPORTANT EXPLANATION to vaccine questions. @michaelmina_lab explains:
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
📌“why is a vaccine better source of immunity, if already have antibodies & T-Cell response?”
📌“How does vaccine give me more protection than some earlier immunity?” https://t.co/p3oEq0v2ua
7) The analogy @michaelmina_lab explains is that natural infection can develop non-useful antibody recognition like to a less useful “pinky toe” part. https://t.co/MPUX2jW2ZD
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
9) That said, Harvard immunologist Michael Mina is slightly unsure if the initial >90% efficacy of the vaccine will hold forever long term because immunity response is often stronger early on but plasmablasts can wane. https://t.co/R4o8YoAo7i?
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
11) Two key takeaways why the Oxford vaccine could be better overall:
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020
📌Refrigerator storage (no freezing needed, unlike the mRNA ones by Pfizer and Moderna)
📌Just $2.50 per dose for Oxford/AZ vaccine ($15 a dose per US govt paid for the mRNA vaccine). #COVID19
13) We aren’t entirely certain why the half dose initial priming shot is better – but one scientist who developed the Oxford vaccine says it may be related to the ChAdOx1 adenovirus vector. Don’t worry—no chimpanzee involved in the vaccine. https://t.co/ggrNJk2mqj pic.twitter.com/DSk770omET
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 23, 2020