A new vaccine could be effective against coronaviruses which have yet to emerge, with hopes it could be used to battle future pandemics, research suggests.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Caltech in the US are developing a novel approach called proactive vaccinology, which aims to train the bodys immune system to recognise several different coronaviruses.
The vaccine used antigens a substance that triggers an immune response in the body found in eight different coronaviruses, including those circulating in bats. This trains the immune system to go after the parts of the antigens that are shared across the viruses and other similar ones, including those not included in the vaccine.
The vaccine, for instance, does not include the Sars-CoV-1 virus, which led to the 2003 SARs outbreak, but can produce an immune response to it.
Usually vaccines, such as those used for the Covid-19 outbreaks, work by using a single antigen to train the immune system to target a specific and single virus.
Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, said Rory Hills, a graduate researcher in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology and first author of the report.
He added: Weve created a vaccine that provides protection against a broad range of different coronaviruses including ones we dont even know about yet.
The results have been published in the journalNature Nanotechnology.
Professor Mark Howarth in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, senior author of the report said: We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now.
Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective Covid vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance.
The study has shown the new vaccine, called Quartet Nanocage, raised a broad immune system response in mice, including those that had already been immunised against Sars-CoV-2 which caused the 2020 pandemic.
According to the study, the vaccine is simpler in design than others that are being developed, and may be used for developing vaccines for other health issues. The study should enter Phase 1 clinical trials by early 2025.
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
A new vaccine could be effective against coronaviruses which have yet to emerge, with hopes it could be used to battle future pandemics, research suggests.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Caltech in the US are developing a novel approach called proactive vaccinology, which aims to train the bodys immune system to recognise several different coronaviruses.
The vaccine used antigens a substance that triggers an immune response in the body found in eight different coronaviruses, including those circulating in bats. This trains the immune system to go after the parts of the antigens that are shared across the viruses and other similar ones, including those not included in the vaccine.
The vaccine, for instance, does not include the Sars-CoV-1 virus, which led to the 2003 SARs outbreak, but can produce an immune response to it.
Usually vaccines, such as those used for the Covid-19 outbreaks, work by using a single antigen to train the immune system to target a specific and single virus.
Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, said Rory Hills, a graduate researcher in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology and first author of the report.
He added: Weve created a vaccine that provides protection against a broad range of different coronaviruses including ones we dont even know about yet.
The results have been published in the journalNature Nanotechnology.
Professor Mark Howarth in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, senior author of the report said: We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now.
Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective Covid vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance.
The study has shown the new vaccine, called Quartet Nanocage, raised a broad immune system response in mice, including those that had already been immunised against Sars-CoV-2 which caused the 2020 pandemic.
According to the study, the vaccine is simpler in design than others that are being developed, and may be used for developing vaccines for other health issues. The study should enter Phase 1 clinical trials by early 2025.
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
After trending downward for several months, COVID-19 is on the upswing in Alberta once again.
The province's respiratory virus dashboard shows a number of key indicators, including case counts, hospitalization numbers and positivity rates, are ticking up.
"Many jurisdictions in Canada have seen a slight bump in late April in the number of COVID cases, the positivity rate and also in their wastewater monitoring," said Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious diseases specialist in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
There are likely a number of factors at play, he said.
"It's a combination of waning immunity and the virus becoming more transmissibleand escaping your immune system that's been adapted to the prior strain."
The latest data from Alberta Health shows 114 people hospitalizedwith SARS CoV-2, an increase of more than two dozen in two weeks. Six patients are in intensive care.
At the University of Alberta Hospital, infectious diseases physician Dr. Stephanie Smith said the latest uptick isn't translating into a spike in severe COVID cases, but she is seeing a clear trend.
"What we are seeing is we have people being admitted for other things and then becoming infected with COVID in the hospital because of visitors or sharing a room," she said.
"Most of them are not getting severely ill. Obviously there are exceptional cases of patients that are severely immunocompromised that can get severe disease. But we do have treatments to try and prevent disease from becoming severe for those that pick up COVIDin the hospital."
According to Smith, that's exacerbated by the strain on hospitals and overcrowding.
"We are so overcapacity in our hospitals, and that means patients are being put into hallways, and we have three people in rooms that are designed for two people, and that makes it really hard to prevent the spread of infection," said Smith.
"I would say that's probably our biggest challenge right now and why we're seeing transmission."
The Alberta Health Services website showsseven hospitals were reporting COVID-19 outbreaks as of April 30.
Anenhanced masking directive, designed to prevent COVID-19 transmission,is nolonger in place in AHS facilities.
Smith said many health workers on the wards where she works still wear masks routinely.
The province's COVID-19 death toll continues to rise. A total of 552 Albertan's have died due to the illness since Aug. 27, according to publicly available data.
Know your risk
Both doctors are urgingAlbertans to know their level of risk for severe disease and plan their immunizations accordingly.
"The important thing is for people who are high risk to really make sure that their vaccine is up to date. That's the easiest thing to do," said Gregson.
"If you're really high risk and you're going to places where there's lots of people, you can mask to reduce your risk."
High-risk Albertans including seniors,immunocompromised individuals and First Nations, Metis and Inuit people became eligible for additional doses of theXBB.1.5 vaccineon April 15, if it's been six months since their last shot.
According to Gregson, while COVIDtransmission dropped for a number of months, it never went away.
"We have constant background noise that's occurring all the time and then we have waves. The last big wave was in the fall of 2023. Whether or not over the summer that goes down to zero or not, we'll wait and see," he said.
"It would be nice to have a break from this."
ANI | Updated: May 04, 2024 23:46 IST
Davanagere (Karnataka) [India], May 4 (ANI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the Central government on the issue of the COVID vaccine and claimed that many healthy youngsters who had taken the vaccines are getting heart attacks. "Do you remember whose photo was on the vaccine certificate? Is there was Modi ji photo or not? Recently a report has come that people who took the vaccine can suffer from Heart attacks. Healthy youngsters are getting heart attacks, they are not ill, it happened because of the vaccine. All these vaccines were made by one company, which gave Modi ji Rs 52 crore donation," she said. She further said that the BJP-led central government is "corrupt". "The truth is that whether it is through vaccines, getting donations by raiding someone, or booking a case against someone and later withdrawing it, there are several such examples. The truth is that this government is corrupt. They have strong connections with billionaires. They took donations from those who made the COVID vaccine," he said. Vadra further said that the BJP brought out a scheme called the electoral bond scheme, through which they took donations from everyone. "They did not increase job opportunities, inflation is at an all-time high, and getting a sick family member treated is a problem. Had Congress guarantees not been implemented in the state, your life would have been as difficult as the rest of the country. To deeply understand the Central Government, you must understand where their focus lies," she said. She further asserted that Karnataka gave many great men to the country and also showed the way to the country.
"Karnataka gave many great men to the country and also showed the way to the country. Karnataka has had a very deep relationship with my family. You supported my grandmother Indira Gandhi when she was in trouble. Indira ji had said a day before her martyrdom that when she is no more, every drop of her blood will be for the country," she said. Earlier, a recent admission by AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company, that its Covid vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS." According to several UK media reports, AstraZeneca has made the admission in court documents in connection with a case that alleges that the vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases. The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield but not using the mRNA platform. It has been prepared using the viral vector platform. In the vaccine, a chimpanzee adenovirus - ChAdOx1 - has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. This cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver, but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses. However, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in March 2024 at 'ANI Dialogues - Navigating India's health sector' said that ICMR has done a detailed study which shows that the COVID-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks, and an individual's lifestyle and factors such as binge drinking could be among underlying causes. Mandaviya said, "If someone has a stroke today, they think it is because of the Covid vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study that the (Covid) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks." Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and elections in the state are being held in two phases. Voting for 14 seats concluded on April 26 and the remaining 14 seats will undergo polling on May 7. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. In 2019, BJP almost swept the state by winning 25 out of 28 seats, while Congress and JD-S -- who were running a coalition government in the state -- could only win one seat each. This time BJP and JD-S are in coalition with the former fighting on 25 seats, while the latter is contesting three seats. (ANI)
London: A team of scientists from the worlds leading universities have developed a new all-in-one vaccine that they hope can protect humans against a broad range of coronaviruses, including ones that are yet to emerge.
The research published in Nature Nanotechnology on Monday is based on a new approach to vaccine development called proactive vaccinology, where scientists build a vaccine before the disease-causing pathogen even emerges, which has shown promising results in mice.
The study by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and Caltech in the US says the vaccine works by training the bodys immune system to recognise specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 which caused the Covid-19 outbreak, and several that are currently circulating in bats and have potential to jump to humans and cause a pandemic.
Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, said Rory Hills, a graduate researcher in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology and first author of the report.
For example, the new vaccine does not include the SARS-CoV-1 coronavirus, which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, yet it still induces an immune response to that virus.
Weve created a vaccine that provides protection against a broad range of different coronaviruses including ones we dont even know about yet, said Hills.
Key to its effectiveness is that the specific virus regions the vaccine targets also appear in many related coronaviruses. By training the immune system to attack these regions, it gives protection against other coronaviruses not represented in the vaccine, including ones that havent even been identified yet.
We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now, said Professor Mark Howarth in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, senior author of the report.
Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective Covid vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance, he said.
The new Quartet Nanocage vaccine is based on a structure called a nanoparticle - a ball of proteins held together by incredibly strong interactions.
Chains of different viral antigens are attached to this nanoparticle using a novel 'protein superglue'. Multiple antigens are included in these chains, which trains the immune system to target specific regions shared across a broad range of coronaviruses.
The latest study demonstrated that the new vaccine raises a broad immune response, even in mice that were pre-immunised with SARS-CoV-2.
The new vaccine is much simpler in design than other broadly protective vaccines currently in development, which the researchers believe should accelerate its route into clinical trials.
The underlying technology that the scientific collaboration has developed also has potential for use in vaccine development to protect against many other health challenges.
It is said to improve on previous work, by the Oxford and Caltech groups, to develop a novel all-in-one vaccine against coronavirus threats.
According to experts, conventional vaccines include a single antigen to train the immune system to target a single specific virus, which may not protect against a diverse range of existing coronaviruses or against pathogens that are newly emerging.
The latest research was funded by the UK's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Published 06 May 2024, 14:06 IST
COVID-19 has killed two more New Brunswickers, while a child under four and a youth aged five to 19 are among the 19 people hospitalized for or with the virus, data released by the province Tuesday shows.
COVIDactivity remains moderate, andmost indicators remained stable during the reporting period,April 21 to April 27, theRespiratory Watch report says.
The report comes just days after theNational Advisory Committee on Immunization, known as NACI, issued its latest guidance on fall COVID-19 vaccines.
A fall dose is "strongly recommended"for people at higher risk of infection or severe disease, including seniors, people with underlying medical conditions, and those who provide essential community services, NACI said.
People aged six months or older who are not at increased risk may receive a fall dose,NACI said.
CBC News has asked the Department of Health for comment about its fall vaccine plans.
NACI "emphasizes the benefits of available vaccines for COVID-19 protection, and particularly for those most at risk of severe illness, as we know that protection against severe illness due to COVID-19 can wane over time," chair Dr. Robyn Harrison said in a statement Friday.
"An updated COVID-19 vaccine formulation may also be available by the fall that would better target the currently circulating strains," she said.
Spring boosters have been available since April 2to New Brunswickers considered most at risk of severe illness.
Nearly 2,000 COVID vaccines were administered in the past week, raising the total to 155,620 since Oct. 4, according to figures fromthe department.
The spring doses will be available until June 15, the department has said.
The two people who died from COVIDduring the reporting week wereaged 45 to 64 and 65 or older.
Their deaths raise the provincial pandemic total to at least 1,034. The actual number is unclear because the Department of Healthcounts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.
The19 people who were hospitalized either because of COVID or for something else and later tested positive for the virusis up from 17 in the previous report. One person was admitted to intensive care, the same number as a week ago.
In addition to the child and youth, those admitted to hospital included one person aged 20 to 44, two people aged 45 to 64 and 14 aged 65 or older, one of whom required intensive care.
The number of lab-confirmed COVID outbreaks doubledto four since the last report. One was in a nursing home and the other three were in facilities listed only as "other."
Twenty-ninenew cases of COVIDwere confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lab tests,down from31.
The positivity rate or the percentage of lab tests performed that produced a positive result is four per cent, unchanged.
No influenzadeaths were reported betweenApril 21 and April 27,but the flu sent seven people to hospital, up from six the previous week.
Among those admitted to hospital were a child under four,a youth aged five to 19, one person aged 20 to 44, oneaged 45 to 64 and three aged 65 or older.
Influenza activity remainsrelatively stable, thereport says.
Forty-two new flu cases were confirmed by lab tests,down from59, with a positivity rate of five per cent, down from seven.
Eleven of the new cases were influenza A and 31 were influenza B.
Since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27, there have been3,630 confirmed flu cases confirmed.
A total of 224,109 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against the flu, as of Tuesday, an increase of 146 from a week ago, figures from the department show.
Horizon Health Network has eightactive COVID admissions, as of Saturday, down from 10 last week, according to its latest COVID report.
None are in intensive care, down from one.
Two health-care workers are off the job, after they tested positive for COVID-19, compared to one a week ago, the report says.
Horizon'sCOVID-19 outbreakpage shows one outbreak, as of Monday, at the Moncton Hospital's cardiology unit.
VitalitHealth Network updates its COVID report only monthly, with the next update expected on May 28.
Although it updates itsoutbreaks pagemore frequently, the last update was on April 22. At that time, it had two outbreaks, both at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst, on the general medical unit and the extended care unit (4W).
(AP) An Ohio doctor who drew national attention when she told state legislators that COVID-19 vaccines made people magnetic has had her medical license reinstated after it was suspended for failing to cooperate with an investigation.
The Ohio State Medical Board recently voted to restore Sherri Tenpennys license after she agreed to pay a $3,000 fine and cooperate with investigators.
Tenpenny, an osteopathic doctor, has been licensed in Ohio since 1984. She drew national attention in 2021 when she testified before a state legislative panel in support of a measure that would block vaccine requirements and mask mandates.
Cleveland doctor, who said vaccine makes people magnetic, under investigation
RELATED: Cleveland doctor, who said COVID-19 vax makes people magnetic, under state investigation
During her remarks, Tenpenny claimed that COVID-19 vaccines made their recipients magnetic, interface with cell towers and interfered with womens menstrual cycles.
Roughly 350 complaints were soon filed about Tenpenny with the medical board, which regulates physicians and can discipline them for making false or deceptive medical statements. A probe was launched but Tenpenny refused to meet with investigators, answer written questions or comply with a subpoena ordering her to sit for a deposition.
Tenpenny's license was suspended in August 2023 on procedural grounds for failing to cooperate with the investigation. Her attorney had told the board she wouldnt participate in an illegal fishing expedition."
The board voted 7-2 last month to restore her license, with proponents saying she had met the requirements for reinstatement.
Tenpenny announced the reinstatement in a post made on the X social platform.
Standing strong and steadfast!" she wrote. Thank you all for your unwavering love and support but most importantly for your prayers during these challenging times.
During the hearing of a case in the UK, pharma giant AstraZeneca told the court that its Covid vaccine called Covishield in India might cause a rare blood clot disorder known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). To understand the side effect and the safety of vaccines, we spoke to Dr Kameshwar Prasad, emeritus professor of neurology at AIIMS, New Delhi. Edited excerpts:
What is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), reported as a rare side effect of the Covishield vaccine? How serious is this condition?
In recent times, the field of healthcare has been under scrutiny like never before. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought medical challenges but has also highlighted the critical need for accountability in the healthcare field. AstraZeneca's statement regarding rare adverse effects related to blood clotting associated with its COVID-19 vaccine, known in India as Covishield, has sparked concerns and discussions, particularly among those who have received the vaccine. This incident underscores the essential role of accountability in healthcare practices. Long COVID, initially poorly understood and lacking sufficient data, has proven to be a multi-organ problem with significant implications. Governments, vaccine manufacturers, and healthcare entities must take responsibility for addressing the long-term effects of COVID-19, including its impact on cardiac health and its vascular and neurological manifestations. Accountability demands proactive measures to mitigate the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and prioritize the well-being of those affected by this persistent condition. For a long time, the concept of accountability in healthcare has been multifaceted. From the perspective of patients, it involves trust in medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies to provide safe and effective treatments. Conversely, from the viewpoint of healthcare providers and companies, accountability encompasses the responsibility to deliver high-quality care, adhere to ethical standards, and transparently communicate potential risks associated with medical interventions. The acknowledgment by AstraZeneca of adverse effects linked to Covishield is a significant step forward in embracing accountability. It signifies a departure from a past where such consequences might have been downplayed or overlooked. This transparency not only empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their healthcare but also encourages a culture of openness and learning within the healthcare community.
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While AstraZeneca's acknowledgment of adverse effects related to Covishield is a step in the right direction, it also highlights the ongoing need for vigilance, transparency, and proactive measures in healthcare. Moving forward, stakeholders must prioritize accountability at every level, from research and development to clinical practice and public health policies. Only through a collective commitment to accountability can we ensure a healthcare system. (Author: Dr. Sabine Kapasi, Co-Founder and MD at Enira Consulting Pvt Ltd)
A recent report by The Telegraph (UK) has brought to light an admission by British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca regarding rare side effects associated with its COVID-19vaccine, Covishield. According to court documents, the vaccine can, in rare cases, lead to a condition causing blood clots and a low platelet count.
Covishield, a product of collaboration between AstraZeneca and Oxford University, was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and widely administered in the country. However, concerns have arisen over its safety profile, prompting legal action against AstraZeneca in the UK.
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A class action lawsuit filed in the UK High Court by victims in 51 cases alleges that the vaccine has resulted in deaths and severe injuries, with damages sought amounting to 100 million pounds. Despite these claims, the UK government, which has shielded AstraZeneca from legal action, has not yet intervened in the matter.
The focal point of the controversy revolves around the admission made by AstraZeneca regarding the vaccine's potential to cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) in very rare cases. TTS, characterized by blood clots and a low platelet count, poses significant health risks to individuals receiving the vaccine.
Jamie Scott, the first complainant in the lawsuit, alleges that he suffered a permanent brain injury due to a blood clot after receiving the Covishield vaccine in April 2021. AstraZeneca's admission in court documents acknowledges the potential link between the vaccine and TTS, albeit in very rare instances.
Following the viral spread of a concerning report,individuals in Guwahati have expressed concerns over their health conditions.
Talking to GPlus, Srijeeta Sarma, a 25-year-old said, "Ever since I took the Covishield second dose, my entire body started paining, with a pinning sensation in my nerves. A few days back, I was diagnosed with spondylitis and gastric issues. It feels like having a stroke."
Similarly, Akashdeep Das, a resident in Chandmari, recounted his hospitalization after receiving the Covishield vaccine. He said, "The results showed that I have a blood clotting problem and had to take several injections,"
Garima Das expressed anguish over her father's health deterioration post-vaccination, stating, "My dad developed Thrombocytopenia after his second dose. He's still in treatment, enduring monthly blood tests, multiple hospitalizations, and a lifetime of medication. Who takes responsibility for ordinary people like us? It's an autoimmune disease, so rare and incurable. All we can do is hope for accountability from those responsible. I wish I could do more for him."
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However, Dr. Abhijit Sharma, the superintendent of GMCH, attempted to allay fears, describing the situation as a "hypothetical theory."
He said, "It is a hypothetical theory. Proper trials have to be done and should look into the facts. People should not panic here."
