Why Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Is Better Than Pfizer, Moderna

While COVID-19 is showing no signs of stopping, we¡¯re hopeful, since several vaccines have gone ahead and showed high effectiveness -- whether its the ones made by Pfizer, Moderna or even the Sputnik V -- each touting up to 95 percent effectiveness.

Reuters

However, one vaccine that got a slightly lower score than the trio is Oxford-AstraZeneca¡¯s vaccine, with a rating of 70 percent -- which is still good but shadowed by the competition¡¯s scores. Despite this, Oxford and AstraZeneca¡¯s vaccine is a far better alternative than the ones by Pfizer, Moderna and even the Sputnik V. Here¡¯s why.

Effective against old and young

It is no news that COVID-19 is more dangerous for people with poor immunity and people of old age. In fact, these will be the first people to get the vaccine when it comes out.

The preliminary trials of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine which involved 560 candidates including 240 over the age of 70, have revealed that the vaccine has shown better vaccine toleration in older individuals, while also stimulating an immune response similar to younger individuals.

Easier to store & transport

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is an adenovirus-vector platform which basically means that it gives people an inactivated virus to stimulate an immune response. This is considerably stable, when compared with what Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are working with. The latter vaccine makers are mRNA-based which injects people with genetic material that causes their bodies to make a part of the virus, prompting an immune response.

Reuters

Now, the stable nature of the compound used by Oxford-AstraZeneca basically means that the vaccine doesn¡¯t require extreme refrigeration methods to maintain stability -- a regular fridge works just fine, unlike Pfizer BioNTech¡¯s vaccine which requires power-hungry refrigeration systems (temperatures as low as -94 degrees Fahrenheit) that are expensive.

Even though Moderna¡¯s compound can also survive in basic refrigeration, it can only survive for a month, Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine can easily last 6 months at these temperatures.

More affordable

When announcing the effectiveness levels of the vaccine, Oxford-AstraZeneca also revealed that they¡¯re not trying to make money off this vaccine during the pandemic.

AstraZeneca said in the press release, "The vaccine's simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access means it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval." No such pledge has been taken by Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.

Serum Institute

Oxford vaccine made by Serum Institute of India

Serum Institute of India has received the authorisation to mass-produce the vaccines and export them to under-developed nations around the world.

Serum Insitute of India¡¯s chief executive, Adar Poonawala has already promised that India will be a priority for delivering vaccine to India and then cater to other nations around the world. Trials are already underway for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and it¡¯s going to be called ¡®Covishield¡¯ in India, priced at Rs 1,000 for two doses of the vaccine.