Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Is 100% Effective For Severe COVID-19 Cases, Says CEO

During the early days of the pandemic when we were all hoping for a COVID-19 vaccine to come ASAP and take down the novel coronavirus, the one vaccine that most Indians had faith on was the vaccine being developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Reuters

However, recently when vaccines started revealing their effectiveness against the novel coronavirus -- with Pfizer and Moderna¡¯s vaccine showing 95 percent and 94.5 percent effectiveness respectively, Oxford-AztraZeneca vaccine was at 70 percent -- a commendable feat but not as impressive as the competition.

After which, Oxford researchers also revealed that a different dosage of the vaccine boosted the effectiveness by 90 percent, although further research was necessary to confirm this claim. And now, AstraZeneca¡¯s CEO, Pascal Soriot has revealed that the vaccine has achieved an efficacy equal to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Reported first by PTI, he said in a statement, "We think we have figured out the winning formula and how to get efficacy that, after two doses, is up there with everybody else."

He has also revealed that the vaccine is 100 percent effective in defeating severe cases of the novel coronavirus. It is crucial to note that the data pertaining to these new claims aren¡¯t published yet, however, they¡¯re expected to be revealed at ¡®some point¡¯ according to Soriot.

The UK government has announced on December 23 that the makers of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine have made their submission for regulatory approval of the vaccine with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), eventually resulting in a mass rollout.

Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine in India

Sources have said in a statement to TOI, ¡°We can take our regulatory decisions independently. The company has submitted the same data here from clinical trials in the UK and Brazil and rolling reviews are going on. The updated information shared by Serum Institute also appears satisfactory. We are hopeful that based on regulatory assessment, the vaccine will be approved in a day or two.¡±

The vaccine has entered into a partnership with India¡¯s Serum Institute for mass production of its vaccine at their facilities in Pune.

Reuters

The vaccine is also expected to be the most affordable in the lot, as Oxford-AstraZeneca has already revealed that they¡¯re not trying to make money off this vaccine during the pandemic. "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."

Moreover, in India, the Serum Institute has revealed that each dose won¡¯t be over Rs 500, costing Rs 1,000 for a two-dose course.