Fate of ‘leftover’ Covid-19 vaccine

The liquidation of all the excess doses of Covid-19 vaccine is becoming a new problem that has caused many countries ‘headaches’.
In recent times, while many countries are still racing to get as many Covid-19 vaccines as possible, some countries are minimizing the use of Oxford vaccines- AstraZeneca (AZ) and Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

This has resulted in many countries that used to order large quantities of vaccines, but were unable to use them. And the liquidation of excess vaccine doses is becoming a new problem that causes these countries to “headache”. What is really happening According to the BBC, the cause comes from concerns about rare, and sometimes fatal, cases of blood clotting abnormality, after receiving even one dose of the AZ and J&J vaccines. . This concern is growing, especially among young people. The excess amount of Covid-19 vaccine is causing many countries to “headache”. Photo: AP Based on data from the British Drug Administration, for every 10 million people assumed to be vaccinated with the AZ vaccine, about 40 people develop abnormal blood clots, of which 10 are at risk of death. This proportion equates to the risk of dying from homicides or road accidents in the UK in 2018. That is why the Danish health authority decided to stop using the AZ vaccine in response to the “risk of serious side effects”. This decision means that the 2.4 million doses of unused AZ vaccine in Denmark are at risk of being recalled. South Africa also suspended the distribution of the vaccine, as it was found to be less effective against strains. The same goes for J&J’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine. Until safety investigation and testing is completed, the vaccine will not be approved for use in the US, which has 100 million pre-ordered doses. Number of ‘in stock’ vaccines Although there are no global overview data, individual country data can provide an overview of the current status of vaccine oversupply. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of more than 20% of vaccines in the United States are unused. However, some states also exceed this rate such as Alabama (37%), Alaska (35%), Vermont (27%) and North Carolina (24%). Similar circumstances are playing out in Europe, where several countries have enacted restrictions on AZ and J&J vaccination against older adults. Data from the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDP) shows that out of a total of 202,920 doses of new AZ vaccine received by Denmark on April 15, 150,671 doses were distributed for vaccination. Danish medical director Soeren Brostroem said the AZ vaccine recall was a “difficult” decision. Photo: EPA Find a liquidation solution In theory, countries can still sell or donate vaccines they no longer use to other countries. On April 15, Hans Kluge, European Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that Denmark is looking to do this. “I understand that the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready or considering options to share the AstraZeneca vaccine with poorer countries,” Kluge said at a news conference. In the opposite direction, many neighboring countries with Denmark also offered to buy back. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has offered to be ready to receive a large number of AZ vaccines with Denmark. Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamacek also said that he had instructed a diplomat to declare the country’s interest in “buying all AZ vaccines from Denmark”. However, Copenhagen has yet to comment or respond to these requests. In the meantime, the vaccines are still stored in cold storage without an appointment for use. Share to the world Currently, Covax is considered the most feasible way for many countries to distribute their surplus vaccines to the world. With a mission to share vaccines fairly between countries, regardless of rich and poor, Covax aims to deliver more than 2 billion doses to people in 190 countries by the end of 2021. Photo: Reuters Some developed countries also plan to distribute their own excess vaccines. For example, the UK, which owns about 450 million doses of vaccine, has pledged to fund most of the “surplus” vaccine source to poorer countries. More than 1 million doses of the AZ vaccine recalled by South Africa were distributed to 14 other African countries. While it is not yet specific when or how many doses of vaccine will be distributed, this suggests that at least for now, developed countries still have a responsibility to share excess vaccine. to the world, through programs like Covax. In response to the BBC, the representative of the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization said: “With a limited supply of vaccines in the near future, doses of vaccines are donated from other countries. Surplus and equitable allocation through Covax will be the key solution, for equitable and rapid access to vaccines globally. We are talking to some high-income economies about their share of excess vaccines, and expect them to announce the deals soon. ” Vietnamese-English