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Mercury and Vaccinations
MERCURYMERCURY ANDAND VACCINESVACCINES FACT SHEET, OCTOBER 2006 What is the concern about mercury in vaccines? Thimerosal, also known as thiomersal, is a preservative used in a number of biological and pharmaceutical products, including some flu and many multi-dose vaccines used for child immunisation. Mercury makes up approximately 50% of the weight of thimerosal in the organic form of ethylmercury. Thimerosal has been added to products to help prevent the growth of microbes since the 1930s. As more has become known about the effects of mercury on human health, the use of thimerosal in vaccines became an issue of increasing concern. Over the years, with more and more childhood vaccinations recommended or required, the amount of mercury to which infants and young children are being exposed has signifi- cantly increased. While there were no toxic effects reported in the first study of thimerosal use in humans, published in 1931, the study was not specifically designed to examine toxicity and was flawed in a number of other ways.1 Studies of any potential effects of thimerosal exposure in humans are ongoing and no general scientific consensus currently exists. Questions have particularly arisen around a possible connection between thimerosal and autism. Additionally, research is being conducted into the relationship between mercury exposure and Alzheimer’s disease. In 2004, a statement from the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) noted that new toxicity studies demonstrate that ethylmercury is less toxic than methylmercury, the form people ingest by eating some types of fish.2 The following year, the report of the Immunisation Safety Review Committee produced by the US Institute of Medicine found again that reviewed evidence “favours a rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism.”3 Yet, others have suggested that new toxicological data shows that there could be a plausible connection between thi- merosal and neurological effects in animals and humans. -
What Do We Know About India's Covaxin Vaccine?
FEATURE Tamil Nadu, India COVID-19 VACCINES [email protected] BMJ: first published as 10.1136/bmj.n997 on 20 April 2021. Downloaded from Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n997 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n997 What do we know about India’s Covaxin vaccine? Published: 20 April 2021 India has rapidly approved and rolled out Covaxin, its own covid-19 vaccine. Kamala Thiagarajan examines what we know so far. Kamala Thiagarajan freelance journalist Who developed Covaxin? cheapest purchased by any country in the world at 206 rupees per shot for the 5.5 million doses the Covaxin was developed by Indian pharmaceutical government currently has on order. The government company Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the has capped the price of the vaccine sold in the private Indian Council of Medical Research, a government market, with private hospitals able to charge up to funded biomedical research institute, and its 250 rupees.13 subsidiary the National Institute of Virology. Covaxin does not require storage at sub-zero Bharat Biotech has brought to market 16 original temperatures, which would be hard to maintain in vaccines, including for rotavirus, hepatitis B, Zika India’s climate and with the frequent power cuts in virus, and chikungunya.1 The company reportedly rural areas. Covaxin is available in multi-dose vials spent $60-$70m (£43-£50m; €50-€58m) developing and is stable at the 2-8°C that ordinary refrigeration Covaxin.2 can achieve. How does Covaxin work? Bharat Biotech says it has a stockpile of 20 million The vaccine is similar to CoronaVac (the Chinese doses of Covaxin for India and is in the process of vaccine developed by Sinovac)3 in that it uses a manufacturing 700 million doses at its four facilities complete infective SARS-CoV-2 viral particle in two cities by the end of the year. -
Main Outcomes of Discussion of WHO Consultation on Nucleic Acid
MAIN OUTCOMES OF DISCUSSION FROM WHO CONSULTATION ON NUCLEIC ACID VACCINES I. Knezevic, R. Sheets 21-23 Feb, 2018 Geneva, Switzerland CONTEXT OF DISCUSSION • WHO Consultation held to determine whether the existing DNA guidelines were due for revision or if they remained relevant with today’s status of nucleic acid vaccine development and maturity towards licensure (marketing authorization) • Presentation will cover alignment to existing guidelines • Current status of development of DNA and RNA vaccines, both prophylactic & therapeutic • Main outcomes of discussion • Next steps already underway & planned STATUS OF DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEIC ACID VACCINES • First likely candidate to licensure could be a therapeutic DNA vaccine against Human Papilloma Viruses • Anticipated to be submitted for licensure in 3-5 years • Other DNA vaccines are likely to follow shortly thereafter, e.g., Zika prophylaxis • RNA vaccines – less clinical experience, but therapeutic RNAs anticipated in 2021/22 timeframe to be submitted for licensure • For priority pathogens in context of public health emergencies, several candidates under development (e.g., MERS-CoV, Marburg, Ebola) MAIN OUTCOMES - GENERAL • Regulators expressed need for updated DNA guideline for prophylaxis and therapy • Less need at present for RNA vaccines in guideline but need some basic PTC • Flexibility needed now until more experience gained for RNA vaccines that will come in next few years • Revisit need for a more specific guideline at appropriate time for RNA vaccines • Institutional Biosafety Committees are regulated by national jurisdictions & vary considerably • How can WHO assist to streamline or converge these review processes? Particularly, during Public Health Emergency – can anything be done beforehand? MAIN OUTCOMES - DEFINITIONS • Clear Definitions are needed • Proposed definition of DNA vaccine: • A DNA plasmid(s) into which the desired immunogen(s) is (are) encoded and prepared as purified plasmid preparations to be administered in vivo. -
Molecular Analysis of SARS-Cov-2 Genetic Lineages in Jordan: Tracking the Introduction and Spread of COVID-19 UK Variant of Concern at a Country Level
pathogens Article Molecular Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Lineages in Jordan: Tracking the Introduction and Spread of COVID-19 UK Variant of Concern at a Country Level Malik Sallam 1,2,* and Azmi Mahafzah 1,2 1 Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan; [email protected] 2 Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +962-79-184-5186 Abstract: The rapid evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is manifested by the emergence of an ever-growing pool of genetic lineages. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic variability of SARS-CoV-2 in Jordan, with a special focus on the UK variant of concern. A total of 579 SARS-CoV-2 sequences collected in Jordan were subjected to maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. Genetic lineage assignment was undertaken using the Pango system. Amino acid substitutions were investigated using the Protein Variation Effect Analyzer (PROVEAN) tool. A total of 19 different SARS-CoV-2 genetic lineages were detected, with the most frequent being the first Jordan lineage (B.1.1.312), first detected in August 2020 (n = 424, 73.2%). This was followed by the second Jordan lineage (B.1.36.10), first detected in September 2020 (n = 62, 10.7%), and the UK variant of concern (B.1.1.7; n = 36, 6.2%). In the spike gene region, Citation: Sallam, M.; Mahafzah, A. the molecular signature for B.1.1.312 was the non-synonymous mutation A24432T resulting in a Molecular Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 deleterious amino acid substitution (Q957L), while the molecular signature for B.1.36.10 was the Genetic Lineages in Jordan: Tracking synonymous mutation C22444T. -
Review of COVID-19 Vaccine Subtypes, Efficacy and Geographical Distributions Andre Ian Francis ,1 Saudah Ghany,1 Tia Gilkes,1 Srikanth Umakanthan2
Review Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140654 on 6 August 2021. Downloaded from Review of COVID-19 vaccine subtypes, efficacy and geographical distributions Andre Ian Francis ,1 Saudah Ghany,1 Tia Gilkes,1 Srikanth Umakanthan2 1Department of Clinical Medical ABSTRACT 2021, the Ad26.COV2.S, developed by Janssen Sciences, The Faculty of Medical As of 1 May 2021, there have been 152 661 445 (Johnson & Johnson) and Moderna on 30 April.4 Sciences, The University of the COVAX, coordinated by WHO, Gavi: The West Indies, St. Augustine, Covid-19 cases with 3 202 256 deaths globally. Trinidad and Tobago This pandemic led to the race to discover a vaccine Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic 2Pathology unit, Department to achieve herd immunity and curtail the damaging Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), acts as a of Paraclinical Sciences, The effects of Covid-19. This study aims to discuss the most programme that supports the development of University Of The West Indies, St. COVID-19 vaccine candidates and negotiates their Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago recent WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccine subtypes, their status and geographical scheduled updates as of 4 pricing to ensure low- and- middle- income countries have a fair shot at receiving vaccines.5 Correspondence to May 2021. The keywords “Covid-19, Vaccines, Pfizer, Mr. Andre Ian Francis, The BNT162b2, AstraZeneca, AZD1222, Moderna, mRNA- This article aims at discussing the most recent University of the West Indies, St. 1273, Janssen, Ad26.COV2.S” were typed into PubMed. WHO- approved COVID-19 vaccine subtypes, their Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; Thirty Two relevant PubMed articles were included in status and geographical scheduled updates as of 4 andre. -
REALM Research Briefing: Vaccines, Variants, and Venitlation
Briefing: Vaccines, Variants, and Ventilation A Briefing on Recent Scientific Literature Focused on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines and Variants, Plus the Effects of Ventilation on Virus Spread Dates of Search: 01 January 2021 through 05 July 2021 Published: 22 July 2021 This document synthesizes various studies and data; however, the scientific understanding regarding COVID-19 is continuously evolving. This material is being provided for informational purposes only, and readers are encouraged to review federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local guidance. The authors, sponsors, and researchers are not liable for any damages resulting from use, misuse, or reliance upon this information, or any errors or omissions herein. INTRODUCTION Purpose of This Briefing • Access to the latest scientific research is critical as libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) work to sustain modified operations during the continuing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. • As an emerging event, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continually presents new challenges and scientific questions. At present, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and variants in the US are two critical areas of focus. The effects of ventilation-based interventions on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 are also an interest area for LAMs. This briefing provides key information and results from the latest scientific literature to help inform LAMs making decisions related to these topics. How to Use This Briefing: This briefing is intended to provide timely information about SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, variants, and ventilation to LAMs and their stakeholders. Due to the evolving nature of scientific research on these topics, the information provided here is not intended to be comprehensive or final. -
COVID-19 Vaccines Update Supplement Week Of: 5Th April, 2021
CARPHA UPDATE FOR Incident Manager / SITUATION REPORT COVID-19 Vaccines Update Supplement Week of: 5th April, 2021 I. Overview of Development and Regulatory Approvals: • 85 candidate vaccines are in clinical development: 16 in Phase 3 trials, and 4 in Phase 4 trials – see Figure in CARPHA COVID-19 Vaccine Regulatory Tracker (Phases tab). • 13 vaccines have received regulatory approvals in various countries, and 16 vaccines are at various stages of engagement with WHO for emergency use listing (EUL). • 4 vaccines have been approved by WHO for Emergency Use Listing: Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine: COMIRNATY®, AstraZeneca-SK Bio, AstraZeneca-SII (Covishield), and Janssen-Cilag. • 4 additional vaccines are expected to be approved by WHO in April – Tables 1 and 3. • There are 3 additional vaccines being considered by WHO but these are at the stage of submitting expressions of interest: Bharat Biotech, Clover Biopharmaceuticals-GSK + Dynavax, and BioCubaFarma (Cuba). • The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) interim recommendations and background documents are available for vaccines by: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford and Janssen-Cilag at SAGE Interim Guidance. The recommendations provide guidance on the use the vaccines, including use in various groups. • Reports of rare clotting events among vaccinees continue to be assessed by various regulators. The EU's European Medicines Agency (EMA) has stated that there was no evidence to support decisions by regulators to restrict the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines in some age groups. The WHO maintains that the benefit-risk balance of the vaccine remains favorable. • CARPHA has shared its COVID-19 vaccine regulatory tracker with Member States for viewing as updates are made. -
NHSGGC COVID Vaccine Faqs for Health and Social Care Staff Version 06 12/01/21
NHSGGC COVID Vaccine FAQs for Health and Social Care Staff Version 06 12/01/21 Link to Green Book Chapter on COVID Vaccine MHRA vaccine approval JCVI recommendations CMO Letter COVID Vaccination Programme These FAQs relate to the Pzifer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccine COVID-19 vaccine The FAQs will be frequently updated as new information becomes available Any printed version will quickly be outdated, always check the NHSGGC webpage for the most up-to-date advice Sections in this document 1. Vaccine Details 2. Current illness and COVID vaccine 3. Flu Vaccine 4. I am immunosuppressed 5. I have previously had a positive COVID test result 6. I have taken part in a COVID vaccine trial 7. Infection Control 8. Nursing Homes 9. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding 10. Allergies and anaphylaxis and other medications 11. Staff Queries – General 12. COVID Vaccines and other vaccines 13. How to become a vaccinator 14. Appointments NHSGGC COVID Vaccine FAQs for Health and Social Care Staff Version 06 12/01/21 Section 1: Vaccine Details Are they live vaccines? No. Neither the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine nor the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine are live vaccines. The AZ vaccine uses an adenovirus, but as it cannot replicate it is not a live vaccine. How is the COVID-19 vaccine given? You will be given an injection in your upper arm. You will need two doses, the second will be offered 12 weeks after the first dose. During your vaccination, strict infection prevention and control measures will be in place. Will a vaccine booster be required? The schedule requires two doses. -
COVID-19 Vaccination Programme: Information for Healthcare Practitioners
COVID-19 vaccination programme Information for healthcare practitioners Republished 6 August 2021 Version 3.10 1 COVID-19 vaccination programme: Information for healthcare practitioners Document information This document was originally published provisionally, ahead of authorisation of any COVID-19 vaccine in the UK, to provide information to those involved in the COVID-19 national vaccination programme before it began in December 2020. Following authorisation for temporary supply by the UK Department of Health and Social Care and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency being given to the COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer BioNTech on 2 December 2020, the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca on 30 December 2020 and the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna on 8 January 2021, this document has been updated to provide specific information about the storage and preparation of these vaccines. Information about any other COVID-19 vaccines which are given regulatory approval will be added when this occurs. The information in this document was correct at time of publication. As COVID-19 is an evolving disease, much is still being learned about both the disease and the vaccines which have been developed to prevent it. For this reason, some information may change. Updates will be made to this document as new information becomes available. Please use the online version to ensure you are accessing the latest version. 2 COVID-19 vaccination programme: Information for healthcare practitioners Document revision information Version Details Date number 1.0 Document created 27 November 2020 2.0 Vaccine specific information about the COVID-19 mRNA 4 Vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) added December 2020 2.1 1. -
Considerations for Causality Assessment of Neurological And
Occasional essay J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry: first published as 10.1136/jnnp-2021-326924 on 6 August 2021. Downloaded from Considerations for causality assessment of neurological and neuropsychiatric complications of SARS- CoV-2 vaccines: from cerebral venous sinus thrombosis to functional neurological disorder Matt Butler ,1 Arina Tamborska,2,3 Greta K Wood,2,3 Mark Ellul,4 Rhys H Thomas,5,6 Ian Galea ,7 Sarah Pett,8 Bhagteshwar Singh,3 Tom Solomon,4 Thomas Arthur Pollak,9 Benedict D Michael,2,3 Timothy R Nicholson10 For numbered affiliations see INTRODUCTION More severe potential adverse effects in the open- end of article. The scientific community rapidly responded to label phase of vaccine roll- outs are being collected the COVID-19 pandemic by developing novel through national surveillance systems. In the USA, Correspondence to SARS- CoV-2 vaccines (table 1). As of early June Dr Timothy R Nicholson, King’s roughly 372 adverse events have been reported per College London, London WC2R 2021, an estimated 2 billion doses have been million doses, which is a lower rate than expected 1 2LS, UK; timothy. nicholson@ administered worldwide. Neurological adverse based on the clinical trials.6 kcl. ac. uk events following immunisation (AEFI), such as In the UK, adverse events are reported via the cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and demyelin- MB and AT are joint first Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting website. As of ating episodes, have been reported. In some coun- authors. early June 2021, approximately 250 000 Yellow tries, these have led to the temporary halting of BDM and TRN are joint senior Cards have been submitted, equating to around authors. -
National Emergency Management Organisation (Nemo) Ministry of National Security St
NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION (NEMO) MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES WEST INDIES Tel: 784-456-2975, Fax: 784-457-1691, Email: [email protected] or [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HEALTH SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE PROTOCOL FOR THE ENTRY OF FULLY VACCINATED TRAVELLERS TO ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES – revised 10/08/2021 AIM: The safe entry of travellers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a manner that reduces the risk of the importation and subsequent transmission of COVID-19 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. OBJECTIVES: 1. To establish the risk of the arriving traveller introducing new COVID-19 cases to SVG; 2. To minimize exposure of residents of SVG to new COVID-19 cases; 3. Early identification of potential exposure to COVID-19 and 4. Early containment of new COVID-19 cases. ESTABLISH RISK OF ARRIVING TRAVELLER: The arriving traveller will: 1. Complete the Pre-Arrival Form available at health.gov.vc And the Port Health Officer will: 1. Review Port Health form for each arriving passenger. 1 PHASED PROCESS OF ENTRY OF FULLY VACCINATED TRAVELERS TO ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES: TESTING & QUARANTINE: PHASE #16 - Commencing Wednesday, August 11, 2021: 1. Where ‘Fully Vaccinated Travelers’ are those persons who: a. Have completed a vaccination regimen with one of the following COVID-19 vaccines recognized by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment of St Vincent and the Grenadines: i. AstraZeneca – Oxford AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), COVISHIELD, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by SK Bioscience; ii. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine; iii. Moderna COVID-19 vaccine; iv. -
Airborne SARS-Cov-2 and the Use of Masks for Protection Against Its Spread in Wuhan, China
Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 29 May 2020 Airborne SARS-CoV-2 and the Use of Masks for Protection against Its Spread in Wuhan, China Jia Hu1#, Chengfeng Lei1#, Zhen Chen1#, Weihua Liu3#, Xujuan Hu3, Rongjuan Pei1, Zhengyuan Su1, Fei Deng1, Yu Huang2, Xiulian Sun1, Junji Cao2* Wuxiang Guan1* 1. Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China 2. Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, Shanxi, China 3. Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China # Contributed equally to the work. *Corresponding authors: E-mail: WX Guan: [email protected], JJ Cao: [email protected] 1 © 2020 by the author(s). Distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY license. Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 29 May 2020 Abstract: The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a global public health crisis. The spread of SARS-CoV-2 by contact is widely accepted, but the relative importance of aerosol transmission for the spread of COVID-19 is controversial. Here we characterize the distribution of SARA-CoV-2 in 123 aerosol samples, 63 masks, and 30 surface samples collected at various locations in Wuhan, China. The positive percentages of viral RNA included 21% of the aerosol samples from an intensive care unit and 39% of the masks from patients with a range of conditions. A viable virus was isolated from the surgical mask of one critically ill patient while all viral RNA positive aerosol samples were cultured negative.