The coronavirus vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford is highly effective at stopping people developing COVID-19 symptoms according to the latest data. The data shows 70 percent protection, with researchers claiming the figure may be as high as 90 percent effective if the dose is tweaked. But are you entitled to choose which vaccine you get?
There has been plenty of encouraging news about coronavirus vaccines in the past few weeks.
Several successful trials have been reported which has prompted optimism about widespread distribution of the virus to those most vulnerable.
Currently, the vast majority of people are still vulnerable to coronavirus and the restrictions in place are in force to prevent more people from dying.
A vaccine would help one’s body to learn how to fight the infection by stopping a person contracting the virus, therefore making covid less deadly.
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What are the different COVID-19 vaccines?
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was the first to publish its results showing more than 90 percent effectiveness.
The UK should receive more than 10 million doses of this vaccine by the end of 2020, with another 30 million ordered.
The vaccine is delivered in two doses, three weeks apart.
It must be kept in extremely cold temperatures of around -70C to be effective.
The UK has ordered the highest volume of vaccine doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Trials of the Oxford vaccine show it prevents 70 percent of people developing covid symptoms and shows a strong immunity response in older people.
In addition, there is encouraging data which suggests perfecting the dose could increase protection up to 90 percent.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is the easiest to distribute because it does not need to be stored at very cold temperatures.
It was made from a weakened version of a common cold virus from chimpanzees and has been modified to not grow in humans.
There are several other vaccines currently in development which are being trialled.
Data on the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which functions similarly to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, suggests it is 92 percent efficient.
Janssen’s trial is recruiting 6,000 people across the UK, in a total of 30,000 volunteers worldwide, to see if two jabs give stronger and longer-lasting immunity than one.
The Wuhan Institute of Biological Products and Sinopharm in China, and Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute are also in the final testing stages.
A trial in Brazil for a drug developed by the Chinese firm Sinovac was suspended after a “severe adverse incident” which involved a volunteer’s death.
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Can I choose which vaccine I get?
The first step in the step to securing a vaccine for all Britons is to get a vaccine approved.
If more than one is approved by regulators, then the priority will be to distribute the vaccine to those who need it the most as quickly as possible.
Vaccines will likely be available at different times and therefore will be given to patients depending on their need and priority,
It is unlikely people will be able to pick and choose which vaccine they receive.