The second generation anticovid vaccines they are already here. Are updated drugs against the new variants, especially against ómicron, and that will improve the not insignificant protection that traditional vaccines already offer, those created from the original variant, that of Wuhan. Just a few days ago, the United Kingdom approved the first bivalent covid-19 vaccine, also effective against omicron and its subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, of the Modern American company. It still needs to be authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Catalonia will begin to give the fourth doses of the covid vaccine in the fall, and will start with those over 80 years of age. The pediatrician and vice president of the Spanish Association of Vaccinology (AEV), Fernando Moraga-Llop, believes that, by then, Spain will already have the updated Modera vaccine. And, also, a second generation of Pfizer, which, like Moderna, will be effective against the Wuhan strains and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. For now, however, only Moderna has been authorized, and by the UK Medicines Agency alone.
But there will be two more new vaccines. “Together with messenger RNA drugs [Pfizer y Moderna]there is the second group of recombinant protein vaccines Moraga-Llop points out. In Spain it is authorized Nuvaxovid, from the American laboratory novamax, of which “not much diffusion has been made, nor have many doses been bought” because the Ministry of Health will only put it in people who have some Contraindication of the other vaccines. “This vaccine, which only has the ancestral strain, the one from Wuhan, does not count for much in the vaccination strategy,” says this pediatrician.
The arrival of Hipra
In addition, it is foreseeable that Hipra, the Spanish vaccine, more specifically, will also be available next autumn. developed in Catalonia. This would be the first ‘anticovid’ vaccine manufactured in the European Union (EU). “It is, like Nuvaxovid, from recombinant protein. But, unlike this, it is bivalent and will carry two variants: the alpha and the beta. Still, it has been seen to have a large immune response to all variants, including omicron,” says Moraga-Llop. In fact, studies show that a third dose of Hipra in people over the age of 16 who have previously received two of Pfizer would “increased immune response” Y “fewer adverse effects”.
Finally, there will be another new vaccine, that of sanofi, which will carry the Wuhan and beta variants, but will take longer to arrive. Moraga-Llop believes that the ones that will arrive most imminently will be the updated ones from Moderna and Pfizer, and Nuvaxovid and Hipra.
And the old vaccines?
However, the injections with these new vaccines will depend on the supply of them. experience reminds that production has its limits. In this sense, doctors call for calm. “The new vaccines are better, but not extraordinarily better. The old vaccines still work,” the epidemiologist points out Antoni Trilla, Head of Preventive Medicine at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Trilla is in favor of starting to vaccinate with fourth doses when there is a “guaranteed supply”, even if it meant starting “a little later”. “There is always the question of whether Moderna and Pfizer are going to supply their new vaccines on time. They’re still making them.” warns the epidemiologist.
“The new vaccines are better, but not extraordinarily better. The old ones still work”
Head of Preventive Medicine at the Clinic
Moraga-Llop emphasizes the same idea as Trilla. “All vaccinations what we have right now reduce the risk of serious illness. It is more important to get any one than the type of vaccine,” says the vice president of the AEV. He also insists that, although it is important to get the fourth dose when the time comes, it is key continue advancing with third doses. “More than 40% in Spain do not yet have it,” he says. These people who still do not have the third doses (many because they got infected with omicron) could also receive the new vaccines.
In the entire vaccination plan there is no trace of the vaccines of AstraZeneca and Janssen. “The communication campaigns of both, as a result of the Adverse effects, has made Europe leave them out of the game. I don’t think we will be vaccinated with them again,” says Trilla.
next fall
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Like those of the last two years, next fall is an unknown As always, experts recommend caution when faced with the appearance of a new variant. Nor do they rule out that omicron contagions go back up, despite the fact that many people are already infected. Among other things, because reinfection is possible.
The arrival of the flu is worrying, as has happened in Australia, after two years with hardly a trace
But, in addition, after two years with hardly a trace of her, the flu worries. “Australia, the territory of the southern hemisphere in which we look the most, has had the flu. It has even advanced compared to years prior to covid-19, “says Trilla. He acknowledges being concerned about how energy saving measures can affect the transmission of respiratory diseases in general. “We’ll have to close more houses. They are going to ventilate less and there will be more risk of contagion,” anticipates this epidemiologist. Once the equator is crossed in August, September and autumn they begin to appear out of the corner of the eye.