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UWI Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology Christine Carrington has told the population that any covid19 vaccine administered in TT will be safe.

Her assurances were supported by statements from epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds and nurse Grace Sookchand, manager of the Health Ministry's expanded programme on immunisation, about strategies for the vaccine's administration.

Modernas mRNA-1273, Oxford University and AstraZenecas AZD1222, and Pfizer and BioNTech's BNT162 are the three candidate vaccines which are currently undergoing phase three trials.

At the virtual health news conference on Monday, Carrington said there was an "avalanche of neatly packaged misinformation" about these vaccines.

She explained the reason extensive trials are done on vaccines is to ensure that they work.

"Long before reach phase three trials, you have other stages of trials where you are looking specifically at safety."

To date, Carrington continued, the vaccines appear to be very safe, She added that they would not have been administered to 30,000 people in the phase three trials if this was not so. But Carrington said additional safety information about the vaccines would be obtained in the phase three trials.

Hinds reiterated that the first phase of vaccination will focus on people who are most exposed to covid 19. This includes frontline responders (such as health care workers), people over 60 and people with illnesses such as cancer. He said as additional doses of the vaccine are received, policies and strategies will be elaborated to cover the wider population."

On the vaccination of prisoners, Hinds explained this was the responsibility of the Prison Service's medical personnel. He said the ministry, through the county medical officers of health, provides the service with guidance and technical support if needed.

Hinds also said PCR testing and antigen testing (which is soon to be rolled out) are the main strategies for covid19 testing in TT, and the latter will provide "an additional layer of testing capacity."

Antibody testing is not being used now, he said, because "we are testing to reduce the risk of spread in active cases, and antibodies only show up later on in your disease process."

Sookchand said chillers to store a covid19 vaccine will be placed at the Couva Medical and Multi-Training Facility, Nipdec's Central Stores in Chaguaramas and a location in Tobago.

She explained the specific type of chiller to be used will be influenced by the characteristics of the vaccine acquired. Sookchand added that ultra-low-temperature freezers would be sourced if necessary.

She also said health facilities for the administration of phase one of the vaccine have been identified and staff are being trained.

With TT having consistent vaccine administration levels in the high 90 per cent range, Sookchand was confident of a covid19 vaccine being successfully provided to the public.

Continue reading here:
UWI professor: Covid19 vaccine will be safe - TT Newsday

This entry was posted on December 4, 2020 at 12:33 am and is filed under Molecular Genetics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |