Questions Related to Coronavirus Vaccine..

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Coronavirus Vaccine Questions

Questions related to Coronavirus vaccine and research, the world searching for answers

The study is funded by CEPI, a global collaboration for new experiments related to preparedness to combat the epidemic. It also has the support of the Government of India. We asked him all the questions that every person in the world wants to know about the deadly epidemic like Coronavirus.

Coronavirus Vaccine Questions

Right now the whole world is fighting a war against the coronavirus epidemic. Everyone is waiting for that powerful vaccine that can act as a strong shield to protect against this deadly virus.

India Today had a special conversation with Professor SS Vasan, born in India and leading the pathogens team at Australia’s science agency CSIRO. Prof. Vasan is currently working on the world’s first multi-vaccine animal illness study.

The study is funded by CEPI, a global collaboration for new experiments related to preparedness to combat the epidemic. It also has the support of the Government of India. We asked him all the questions that every person in the world wants to know about the deadly epidemic like Coronavirus.

1. Question:

Different strains of the corono virus are being used to evaluate the vaccine?

Prof. Vasan: We have published our report in ‘Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Journal’ in which we have seen the first 181 genome sequence of this virus. To know how it is turning into clusters different from RNA virus. I do not think that there is a problem for the animal model validation of these vaccines in the strains we are using. But yes we are watching the situation closely. We are looking at about 4,000 available sequences.

2. Question:

There are reports that a tiger was found to be coronavirus positive at the Bronx Zoo in New York in the first cross species transmission?

Pro Vasan: There is a protein- ‘ACE2’. It acts as an entry point into cells for the corona virus. If you look at five residues on this protein, you will find that ferrets and tigers have many suitable amino acids in the right location. Because ferrets are easier to work with than tigers, so chose them.

Questions Related to Coronavirus Vaccine

3. Question:

Are you going to start a clinical trial of the coronavirus vaccine soon? Also, will scientists inject the corona virus into healthy people to inspection the vaccine?

Prof. Vasan: CSIRO does not conduct any human clinical trials. This is done by the developers of various vaccines. More than 115 vaccine candidates are currently developing. CEPI has funded 8 candidates. The first is Moderna, the second is Innovio and the third is Oxford. We are evaluating animal models for Innovio and Oxford candidates.

If you see, you are not infecting healthy people with the coronovirus to check the vaccine. In this case, clinical trial safety is seen in Phase 1. Ideally you have to complete preclinical research before starting Phase 1. That is why we are trial here. We are not the only ones to do so. Other animal models will be seen in many more labs. This data package is very important which will go ahead for Phase 2 approval.

4. Question:

Are you also in contact with other scientists of the world who are working on projects to develop similar vaccines.

Prof. Vasan: The development of any vaccine is not limited to a single person in the modern world. It is a matter of collectivity. It can be understood that we are independent assessors of CEPI who look at the impact on animals. We are away from developers who are optimizing vaccine candidates. But we are scaling up the Queensland University vaccine through the creation of CSIRO. Both the vaccines, Inovio and Oxford, which I am examining, I am also looking at whether a single dose will be enough or will a booster dose be required.

5. Question:

There are also reports that those who are given vaccine for TB are less likely to get infected with Coronavirus. Does it have any scientific basis?

Pro vasan: BCG vaccine is known to protect against other micro bacteria such as leprosy and respiratory disease. I and my fellow Murdoch Children’s Research Institute are looking into this aspect. I am interested to know what the study reveals?

6. Question:

Are hydroxychloroquine drugs in the news? Can this drug cure corona patients?

Pro Wasson: When I was in the Public Health of England, I found that chloroquine helps prevent the replication of Ebola virus in vitro (in an artificial environment outside the organism). But if it was seen in guinea pigs inside the organism’s body, the drug failed to do so. This is not a new idea. The use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine is the right step to be taken by scientists to solve a big epidemic or during a public health emergency.

7. Question:

What would you like to say on the decision of the Government of India regarding the lockdown. Was this the right step?

Pro Vasan: Preventing the pace of infection through social distancing and lockdown is a strategy that Australia, India and many other countries are adopting. The Government of India is being praised by WHO and the international community for showing decisive leadership towards solving this crisis. This is also important because India is a country with a large population. It is the responsibility of every citizen to play their part in it.