According to Lieutenant Colonel, Associate Professor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Men, Director of the Center for Clinical Trials and Bioequivalence, Military Medical Academy, phase 3 injected the Nano Covax vaccine to 13,000 people and administered only a single dose group injection. at least 25 mcg and the placebo injection group. Specifically, according to the protocol approved by the Ministry of Health, the first 1,000 trial injectors of the first phase of phase 3, the volunteers are injected with the ratio of “6 people vaccinated, 1 person injected placebo”. The remaining 12,000 people injected according to the ratio “2 people vaccinated, 1 person injected placebo”. It is expected that the first phase of phase 3 will be conducted by the Military Medical Academy and the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City with 1,000 volunteers, each with 500 people. Vietnam’s first COVID-19 vaccine tested in phase 3 on humans. Regarding the reason for choosing the dose group of 25 mcg, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Men said that testing at 3 dose levels of 25-50-75 mcg showed that the vaccine was safe on volunteers, capable of generating immunity in 3 doses. There was no difference in dose groups. Therefore, the National Ethical Council in Biomedical Research, Ministry of Health decided to only inject 1 optimal dose of 25 mcg at this stage. Phase 3 is implemented in many centers in the country: The North is deployed by the Military Medical Academy as the focal point at Military Medical Hospital 103, in collaboration with the Preventive Medicine Center of Hung Yen province to deploy locally; In the South, the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute is the focal point to deploy, in collaboration with the Preventive Medicine Centers of Long An and Tien Giang provinces to deploy locally. After the phase 1 and phase 2 trials, the Nano Covax vaccine is judged to be quite safe, so the criteria for recruiting volunteers will be relaxed more than the previous two phases. 13,000 volunteers participating in phase 3, aged 18-75 years old, only need to check their blood count and check for antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People who have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus or already have antibodies will be excluded from the test population. As of June 11, more than 6,500 volunteers have registered to test the Nano Covax vaccine against COVID-19 phase 3. Senior Colonel, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ho Anh Son, Deputy Director of the Military Medical and Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Military Medical Academy added: “It is expected that by mid-September 2021, after about 42 days of the second injection. In two of the first 1,000 experimental injections, we will summarize the results of the quality assessment to report. If it is favorable, we will submit the dossier and propose the Government, the Ministry of Health, and the National Ethical Council in the study. In parallel with that process, the unit will continue to test the Nano Covax vaccine on 12,000 volunteers to continue to control the experimental injection and evaluate the effectiveness. protective power of vaccines”. During the testing process and after the antibody sample is available, the Military Medical Academy will coordinate with the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Joint Stock Company, the testing units to conduct the assessment of the ability to neutralize the SARS-CoV virus. -2 in the laboratory for existing virus strains to determine the development direction of vaccine research in the coming period. Through discussions with the expert group of Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Joint Stock Company, in addition to recombinant protein technology, there are other technologies for research and production of vaccines. Nanogen as well as many Vietnamese scientists are very interested in mRNA technology – which has been of great interest to the world in recent years. This technology has the advantage of reacting very quickly to the disease, quickly getting a vaccine. According to available information, vaccines produced by this technology are very safe for human use. More information about the phase 3 trial, Lieutenant General, Prof. Dr. Do Quyet, Director of the Military Medical Academy, said that this trial phase is designed according to the adaptive design method, continuing to inject the experimental vaccine. trial and placebo group; health assessment at the time of the first injection, the second dose (done on the 28th day), the 35th day and the 42nd day after injection. The Director of the Military Medical Academy expressed confidence in the safety of the Nano Covax vaccine with the results achieved through the previous two testing phases. Specifically, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 virus antibodies after the phase 2 trial injection showed that the antibody titre increased very high, from tens to hundreds of times. After the second injection, the volunteers had a physical examination (blood test, blood pressure measurement…) once a week to assess the amount of antibodies appearing in the body; then continue to be monitored for 6 months to get information, assess health as well as immunity ability. Up to now, 100% of volunteers who have been vaccinated with Nano Covax vaccine have produced antibodies in the blood. – Phase I (December 2020), the COVID-19 vaccine Nano Covax was administered to 60 volunteers. – Phase II (February 2021) injected over 554 people. From phase 2, the trial was conducted both at the Military Medical Academy and the Medical Center of Ben Luc district – Long An province (by the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City).

Immunity in a person who has had COVID-19 lasts up to 13 months after infection. A study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (USA) also emphasizes the effect of vaccination after COVID-19 infection, because some patients under observation have very low antibody levels. In a study by Rockefeller University scientists (USA) who followed 63 people with COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. They found that antibodies are produced by recording B lymphocytes memory becomes more effective in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the researchers also found that “vaccination boosts immunity naturally developed by these people during infection, to the point where they can be protected against new variants appear”. Therefore, once infected with the virus and vaccinated against COVID-19, immunity will be created especially strong. Rosemary ( Femme Actuelle June 2021 )

Illustration GS. Dr. Truong Viet Dung, Chairman of the National Ethics Council in Biomedical Research, said in the SK & DS newspaper, in phase 3, the subjects of the Nano Covax vaccine trial in Vietnam will expand. The object here means the area, which can be extended to other areas such as workers in industrial zones. However, areas or industrial zones with COVID-19 cases were not selected for clinical trials because it would be interpreted as the epidemic situation that made people too worried and accepted to participate in the research. Therefore, research can only be carried out in industrial zones at risk of disease outbreaks, not in industrial zones with epidemics. Testing participants for COVID-19 to confirm the absence of antibodies is required. In the spirit of “testing as quickly as possible” of the Government, the Ministry of Health assigned testing units. Fast does not mean cutting, skipping stages. Any stage must comply with international requirements and standards. Do it very quickly but must be very standard, giving it to the Council must be approved immediately. In general, in accordance with the process and step by step of each phase, so that the Ministry of Health has enough scientific basis to be able to grant urgent and conditional use of Nano Covax vaccine in Vietnam. Information on Vietnam plus, Deputy Director of Military Medical Research Institute Ho Anh Son said that according to the latest information, it is possible that as soon as next week (expected in early June 2021) will enter vaccine research. Nano Covax phase 3 with the expected number of volunteers to participate is about 13,000 people. In phase 3, the implementation is very fast, following the correct process, and at the same time meeting the needs of disease control in Vietnam. Up to now, the Military Medical Academy has mobilized a lot of doctors, technicians, students… to participate in the testing process so that it can be ready for deployment in 10 provinces/cities across the country at the same time. country. After testing phase 1 and phase 2, Nano Covax vaccine is quite safe, so the criteria for recruiting volunteers will be relaxed more than the previous 2 phases. Volunteers participating in phase 3 from 18-75 years old, only need to check the blood count and check for antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People who have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus or already have antibodies will be excluded from the test population. More about the phase 3 trial, Lieutenant General, Professor-Dr. Do Quyet, Director of the Military Medical Academy, Ministry of National Defense said that he believes in the safety of the Nano Covax vaccine with the results achieved. through the previous two phases of testing. According to the Director of the Military Medical Academy, immunogenicity is reflected in two main factors: antibody concentration and antibody immunogenicity. Specifically, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 virus antibodies after injection of the phase 2 trial showed a very high increase in antibody titres, from tens to hundreds of times. Antibody immunogenicity to assess the ability to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 virus living at the 35th day of good response, above the prescribed threshold. As for the ability to neutralize the virus at day 42, the team has now evaluated 22/110 samples; expected to be completed in early June 2021 to report to the National Ethics Council in Biomedical Research. Phase 3 aims to evaluate the protective effect of the vaccine on the community, designed in many centers, expanding to other localities with a larger number of samples with only 1 injection. Based on the results of the evaluation, the National Ethical Council in Biomedical Research selected the experimental injection of 25mcg dose. Strictly following international guidelines, the National Ethical Council for Biomedical Research also identified a phase 3 trial in 10,000 people. Military Medical Academy complies with the approved outline and deploys to recruit volunteers.

How to get rid of Miss Vi? To get out of pandemics like Co Vi, it is now clear that it is not possible to rely solely on social distancing measures and aggressively tracing the virus. Closures and tracing are very important measures, and the Vietnamese government has excelled in the early stages of fighting the epidemic with these measures alone. But in an open world, the border door can’t close no matter how hard it is, tracking the ghost of Co Vi successfully this time but still wondering when it will come back. But if you keep busy with “national resistance”, “defensive counterattack”, you will be hungry all the time. Relying on medical treatment is even worse, because firstly, there is no medicine to guarantee that 100% of people infected with Co Vi will survive; the second (and more important) is that when there is an outbreak, the health system simply collapses, you have very little chance of being hospitalized, and if you do get into the hospital, there will be no more oxygen to breathe. . Some of my friends whispered to each other (=Phew) measures to eradicate Co Vi such as drinking hot water, eating garlic, steaming with leaves, or simply… fiercely drinking! If you apply it to yourself, it won’t hurt anyone other than your spouse, children, or grandchildren, but I beg you not to incite Phai to do the same, because that is verbal karma. Miss Vi is “contagious or dead” and our way out Co Vi’s principle of existence (and many other infectious viruses) is “infect or die”. Viruses are not cells, so they cannot reproduce outside of the body, and when outside the body, Co Vi does not last long. When the majority of the population is immune, the probability of transmitting Co Vi decreases, even those who are not immune are protected, the epidemic will be basically extinguished. This is the phenomenon of “herd immunity”, which has long been observed and concluded by scientists with many previous pandemics. Herd immunity can occur during natural epidemics. After about 70% of the population has been infected with Co Vi, about 1-5% will die, the rest will become immune. Assuming Vietnam followed this model, it would have to sacrifice about a million people. Certainly most of us disagree with this measure. There is another way that does not require such sacrifices to achieve herd immunity, which is to vaccinate the majority of the population. Immune cells can be “trained” to recognize Co Vi by the S protein molecule on its surface. When real Co Vi invades, immune cells secrete antibodies that “lock hands” with these S proteins. Co Vi’s protein S mimics the body’s ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) molecular structure to adhere to cell surfaces. If protein S is surrounded by antibodies, then Co Vi also “botay.com”. Not everyone wants a vaccine But in the world there is a part of people who think they will not get vaccinated. Some even think that this is a conspiracy of certain forces to invest a lot of money to profit on the sacrifice of their fellow human beings. Others will not go for injections because they find it annoying, or afraid of spending money. Attitude to vaccination is a personal choice, but is greatly influenced by social relations, by the community to which the individual belongs. Here, I would like to introduce two social issues that have a great influence on the attitude to accept vaccination, which have been analyzed quite meticulously by sociologists. 1. Religion and vaccines (Main reference: Pelcic et al 2016. Religious exception for vaccination or religious excuses for avoiding vaccination Croat Med J 56(5):516-521) Religious beliefs have a huge influence on vaccination acceptance attitudes. All major religions have favorable attitudes towards vaccination. The first precept of Buddhism is abstaining from killing, so Buddhists accept vaccinations to keep themselves and others healthy. On the other hand, Buddhism considers all species to be non-killing beings, and believes that humans can also be reincarnated into other beings. Thus killing animals for vaccine research may be contrary to Buddha’s teachings. The Catholic Church does not prohibit vaccination. Historically, Catholic and Anglican missionaries (Catholics in England and some former British colonies) have inoculated with smallpox in North America. Today’s development of biomedical research leads to an issue that may contradict Catholic doctrine, which is that some vaccines are produced on cultured cell lines of fetal origin, specifically Meruvax. , Rudivax and MR-VAX (Rubella prophylaxis), A-VAQTA and HAVRIX (hepatitis A), Varivax (chickenpox), and Polivax (smallpox). But when there are no other vaccines to choose from, parishioners are still encouraged to vaccinate to protect young children and the community, especially pregnant women. In Islam, food is divided into two categories, halal is allowed, and haram is not. Pork is haram, so pharmaceuticals that use gelatin (a glue made from animal skin including pig skin) should not be used. However, the Koran also speaks of “law of necessity”, in case the believer does not have a halal to choose from, forcing the use of haram will not be considered a sin. Immunizations are meant to protect life, as “izalat aldharar” (prevention of harm), and “maslahat al ummah” (for the public good). So even if a certain vaccine is related to pigs, it is still possible to apply “forced law when necessary”. Some religions or religious sects may be anti-vaccination. Protestantism does not have a central system, so local churches have very different attitudes on vaccination. Some Protestant priests do not raise the issue of vaccinations in their sermons because they think this is a generally accepted attitude of the whole society. Others leave it to the laity to interpret and choose their attitude towards vaccines. Still others have publicly condemned vaccines, arguing that vaccination is an intervention against God’s will (interfering with Divine Providence). 2. Belief in science and attitudes towards vaccines Key references: Sturgis et al. Trust in science, social consensus and vaccine confidence. Nature Human Behaviour May 17, 2021. This is a study published last week by three authors Patrick Sturgis, Ian Brunton-Smith and Jonathan Jackson from the London School of Economics and Politics (LSE), the University of Surrey (UK) and the University of Sydney Law School (Australia). . https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01115-7.pdf. The authors analyze data obtained from the Wellcome Global Monitor (Gallup Institute) survey, conducted since 2018 (before the Covid-19 pandemic), about people’s trust in science and the attitude to accept vaccines in Vietnam. 144 countries. The average number of participants in each country was 1000, with China, India and Russia alone being sampled 2000 people from each country. In this poll, the global average result is that more than four-fifths of the population believe in science, the highest in North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the lowest in South America, Eastern Europe and Africa. Chau. The percentage of men who believe in science is higher than that of women. Scientific trust is also higher among the educated and high-income population. In countries where the gap between rich and poor is low, there is often high scientific trust. Regarding the attitude of accepting vaccines, about 92% of the global population think that vaccination of children is necessary, 78% think that vaccines are safe, and 84% think that vaccines are effective. This attitude also varies markedly across countries. Again, this is the result of an investigation from 2018, that is, about vaccines in general, not just the vaccine against Co Vi. Next, the authors analyzed the correlation between trust in science and vaccine acceptance attitude. A major part of the results can be illustrated by Figure 1, where countries are divided into five groups according to the assessment of science trust and vaccine acceptance from high to low (left to right). In the highest group, the consensus between scientific belief and vaccine acceptance attitude is highest (blue graph has the steepest slope). This correlation decreases, in the lowest group, the graph is horizontal, which means that there is almost no consensus between scientific beliefs and vaccine acceptance attitudes. Illustration: The relationship between scientific beliefs and vaccine acceptance attitudes. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour 2021. Someone may counter that “I know Mr. A is very rich and Mr. B is highly educated, but neither of them accept vaccines”. Please answer that the above research results are based on the science of statistical probability. That is, the results are only true for the majority, not necessarily for individuals. And statistical probability also tells us that when we deduce from a few particular observations to apply to the majority, the probability of right/wrong can be only 50/50.

Clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine showed up to 95-96% effectiveness against invading coronaviruses. According to the New York Times , each batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with 7.5 million doses is produced in 60 days. The most advanced mRNA technology The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine uses mRNA technology. This vaccine is recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for use in people 12 years of age and older. The SARS-CoV-2 virus carries proteins that allow it to enter human body cells. These proteins – known as spike proteins – are the subject of research in the production of vaccines and drugs to treat Covid-19. Coronavirus. Photo: New York Times. Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine is based on the genetic makeup of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to create artificial protein spikes. Vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA), a type of genetic material that human cells process to make proteins. The messenger RNA molecules are very fragile, so they will be broken down by natural enzymes in the human body if injected directly into the human body. To protect the mRNA in the vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech wraps the mRNA molecules in an oil bubble made of microscopic fat particles. mRNA molecule. Photo: New York Times. Due to their unstable nature, the mRNA molecules in the vaccine will be degraded at normal temperatures. Therefore, vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech need to be stored at deep cold temperatures, at least -70 degrees Celsius or less. To keep the vaccine of Pfizer-BioNTech stable, special containers are required, including dry ice, heat sensors and GPS trackers. Inject vaccines into the body After vaccination, the molecular particles in the vaccine will collide and fuse with human body cells, releasing mRNA. Human body cells will read the genetic content contained in the mRNA and from there produce protein spikes. The mRNA molecule from the vaccine is eventually destroyed by human cells forever. Vaccine molecules interact with cells. Photo: New York Times. Some protein spikes will form spikes, which rise to the surface of the cell and protrude outward. Cells that have been affected by the vaccine also break down the protein into small pieces on the surface. The protein spikes protruding from the cell, and the protein molecule on the cell surface, will eventually wake up the human immune system. When cells that have interacted with the vaccine die, their fragments contain many protein spikes and protein fragments. These fragments will be picked up by a type of immune cell called molecular antigen-presenting cells (APCs). APC cells activate helper-T cells. Photo: New York Times. Fragments of protein spikes will stick to the surface of APC cells, until helper-T cells detect these fragments. The helper-T cells then trigger the immune system to produce antibodies against the coronavirus. Antibody production Other immune cells, called B cells, can collide with the coronavirus spike protein on the surface of the cell that has interacted with the vaccine, or the floating protein spike debris. Some B cells can adhere to protein spikes. Helper-T cells activate B cells that help produce antibodies. Photo: New York Times. When B cells are activated by helper-T cells, they begin to produce antibodies that attack the spike protein. Antibodies neutralize corona virus. Photo: New York Times. The antibody produced will attach to the spike protein of the invading corona virus. Antibodies mark the virus for later destruction by the body’s immune system. More importantly, the antibody prevents the viral spike protein from attaching to the healthy cells of the human body. To destroy the virus, APC cells activate another type of immune cell called cytotoxic-T cells. This cell is responsible for finding and destroying cells that have been infected by the virus through the signal of protein spike fragments on the surface. Cytotoxic-T cells destroy infected cells. Photo: New York Times. Remember information about corona virus Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine is given in two doses, 21 days apart, to help the immune system work most effectively against the corona virus. But because of the lack of time to study, scientists cannot be sure how long the immunity created by the vaccine will last. Preliminary research shows that within 10 days of receiving the first dose, the vaccine begins to build a strong immune system against the virus. It is likely that, after several months of vaccination, the number of antibodies and cytotoxic-T cells will gradually decrease. But the immune system also contains special cells that store information about the corona virus for years, even decades. Each vial of vaccine contains 5 injection doses of 0.3 ml. Vaccines need to be thawed and diluted with saline. After dilution, the vaccine must be used within 6 hours.

Japan plans to produce the vaccine domestically. Illustration: CNN Shionogi is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare about a framework that would allow the efficacy and safety of vaccines to be assessed even with small-scale trials. This manufacturer hopes to contribute to the early prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic by focusing on investment and management of resources. In addition, the company has also completed a production line capable of supplying 10 million people a year with vaccines and plans to increase capacity further. Regarding Moderna’s vaccine approval process, on May 10, the pharmaceutical company Takeda said that clinical trials have confirmed that Moderna’s vaccine has helped increase antibodies in vaccinated people. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will evaluate and make a decision on whether to give the vaccine a “green light” as early as May 20.

When the Covid-19 pandemic first broke out, the vaccine was still just a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. The term “community immunity” is to denote the end of the epidemic. Community immunity means that when enough Americans are protected from the virus, the pathogen is eliminated, New York Times said. Today, more than half of all adults in the United States receive at least one dose of the vaccine. But vaccination rates are declining, and there is consensus among scientists and public health experts that public immunity cannot be achieved, at least in the near future, and perhaps never. hours. They came to the conclusion that the virus could become a controllable threat that will continue to spread in the US for many years to come. It still causes flare-ups with hospitalizations and deaths, but on a smaller scale. Depends on the strain’s ability of the virus How much smaller future outbreaks will be and the number of cases and deaths is uncertain. It depends on how many countries in the world are vaccinated, and more importantly, how the virus evolved. Viruses are evolving too quickly. The new strains spread very quickly. Meanwhile, the immunization speed is too slow. That makes the expectation of community immunity even more distant. The United States is one of the countries with the highest rates of Covid-19 vaccination in the world. Photo: New York Times. Experts believe that vaccinating high-risk groups will be crucial to limit the size of new outbreaks. “The virus is unlikely to go away, but we are doing all we can to see if it is likely to cause only mild infections,” said Rustom Antia, an evolutionary biologist at Emory University in Atlanta, USA. said. To date, experts still cannot be sure what percentage of the population has anti-Covid-19 antibodies. Even for people with antibodies, experts cannot be sure of their immunity to new strains. Dr Anthony S. Fauci, the leading adviser to the Joe Biden administration on Covid-19, admits the change in thinking among experts. “We stopped using the term community immunity. I said, vaccinate a sufficient number of people, the level of infection will drop,” he said. Why is community immunity difficult to achieve When the corona virus begins to spread globally in early 2020, many experts believe that public immunity is the key to escaping the pandemic. That is when enough people have acquired immunity, including through natural infection or vaccination, when the virus will run out of people to infect and go away on its own. 30% of the US population is reluctant to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: New York Times. The concept of public immunity has become a tacit target in many countries, including the United States. Initially, the threshold for achieving public immunity is 60-70% of the infected population. Most experts, including Dr. Fauci, believe that the United States can achieve public immunity before vaccines become available. But when the vaccine started to be distributed, this threshold estimate began to increase. Initial estimates were made based on the spread of the original virus. Variant B.117 – first discovered in the UK – was up to 60% more infectious than the original strain. Experts estimate the new threshold to 80%. If new strains continue to grow and spread, or if scientists find vaccinated people can still transmit the virus, the threshold calculation may need to be revised again. In addition, recent polls show that about 30% of the US population is afraid to be vaccinated. “Theoretically we could get an immunization rate of 90% of the population, but in reality it’s very difficult,” said Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. While vaccination resistance is the main reason why the United States cannot achieve public immunity, it is not the main reason. Community immunity is often seen as a national target, but it’s a vague concept in a country as large as the United States. On a global scale, this possibility becomes even more distant. Immunization is still the key Dr. David M. Morens, senior advisor to Dr. Fauci, said community immunity can vary with population size, human behavior and many other factors. A small outbreak in a low vaccination area could spill over and hit an area where the majority of the population was vaccinated. Immunization remains the key to dealing with the epidemic. Photo: New York Times. At the same time, the connections between the countries of the world, especially when the travel restriction is reduced, underscores the urgency of protection, not only for Americans but for other countries as well. Any new strain of Covid-19 that arises in the world will eventually come to America. At that time, the vaccination rate is the decisive factor for the protection level of the community with the new strains. Many parts of the world lag far behind the United States in immunization. Less than 2% of Indians are vaccinated and less than 1% in South Africa, according to data New York Times . “We will not achieve public immunity as nations, states, even cities, until we have immunity in all populations,” Lauren Ancel Says Meyers, director of the Covid Modeling Organization, University of Texas. By focusing on vaccinating the most at-risk groups, the US has reduced its mortality rate compared to before. If vaccination rates continue to increase over time, the corona virus may become seasonal, similar to the flu. The biggest challenge facing health professionals is convincing people to vaccinate. Many Americans remain skeptical of the vaccine’s effectiveness. Another group lacked access to vaccines, such as homeless people, migrant workers, or certain communities of color. That makes the goal of achieving community immunity even more difficult. The mentality of the vast majority of people is that they want to see someone else embrace something, before they’re willing to try it. Emphasizing the benefits of vaccination may become more effective than the fictional idea of ​​herd immunity. “That will resonate with people more than the elusive concept that experts are still trying to come up with,” said Mary Politi, a specialist in health and health communication, University of Washington. Experts also recommend increasing vaccination rates for children, even babies. Because over time, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, new strains can develop and disrupt the vaccine’s ability to protect itself.

Illustration. “We don’t want to talk, because people ask me to share. Actually, Bkav researched Corona virus vaccine (Covid-19) a year ago, ”Mr. Quang told VnEconomy a few minutes ago, regarding a recent online discussion about Covid-19 and he revealed. Bkav has established a new generation vaccine research group. Bkav Chairman said that after finishing the first epidemic, around May 2020, Bkav went to meet with representatives of the Central Epidemiological Party to learn about vaccines, and this activity of Bkav came. Currently still in theoretical research phase. Mr. Nguyen Tu Quang. The new technology vaccine is like making a chemical – 3D printed – that gives the shape of a virus “to fool the body into making antibodies”. “At that time, Bkav’s Institute of AI Technology set up a group to specialize in researching vaccines and epidemic prevention issues, which Mr. Quang said he often shared. Research activities on this vaccine are still going on, ”said Bkav Chairman. According to Mr. Quang, now the new generation vaccine mainly uses technology. Vaccines are like 3D printing. Conventional vaccines have to be grown on other hosts or have real samples and then transplanted to other things before it can be replicated and vaccinated. While new technology vaccines are like creating chemicals, but in 3D printing with nanotechnology, the technology content is very high. This vaccine can be produced in large quantities, and cultured normally cannot do much. According to this leader, the field of research and production of vaccines is very potential because the technology is very high. Because you can imagine virus variation very quickly. If the traditional method of making vaccines responds to variations is many years. But the new method can be adjusted immediately by technological measures … like programming. To put it simply, it is very related to Bkav as programming anti-virus software in your computer, this is a program to create a new virus shape corresponding to a variant virus, like programming anti-virus software. So, Mr. Quang added. Vietnam’s current vaccine technology, according to Bkav President, is still using mainly culture, of course there is also new technology in culture, but the efficiency is still low – it is difficult to produce hundreds of millions of doses. Whereas the new technology vaccine is like making a chemical – in 3D printed form – that gives the shape of a virus “to fool the body into making antibodies”. This is like programming to make vaccines, and technology plays an important role. Mr. Quang also said that when he met with the leader of a vaccine manufacturing company, the leader also analyzed research and production of new generation vaccines now that the technology factor occupies more position – the computer, programming, is information technology, with a lot of content. Of course, there must be knowledge about biomedical science, so Bkav has recruited more human resources in this biomedical field. However, according to Mr. Quang, this is a long-term story, of many decades, not a day or two. And in fact, new technology vaccines have been studied for decades, so when facing the urgent “Covid” period, they were immediately brought to the market and confirmed that they are effective. Why does Bkav want to participate in this field? Mr. Quang questioned and explained to VnEconomy that, as the “Covid disaster” has been going on, the coming here will not be a nuclear weapon and a biological weapon, which everyone can see. And if there is no technology to make vaccines with new technologies, it is “difficult to survive” with viruses similar to Corona virus. Second, according to Quang, in the world today, the production of vaccines depends on several companies, so Vietnam must also master new vaccine production technologies. . “Especially in Vietnam with a hundred million people, we have to master such things, as before, other vaccines we also have to master. Bkav’s goal in entering this field is to master new vaccine technologies, and this is something technology companies must take part in, ”said Bkav Chairman Nguyen Tu Quang. And only that, according to Mr. Quang, if an epidemic occurs, Vietnam can take the initiative. Bkav’s “Vaccine Journey” is a long story with a vision of a biological weapon, after the Covid-19 story, there will certainly be more (large) countries that have more motivation to manufacture weapons. biogas, but Bkav must prepare (research vaccine) right now ”, said Mr. Nguyen Tu Quang.

Around the meeting. Accordingly, diphtheria is an infectious disease, acute poisoning, respiratory transmission and potentially epidemic. In Vietnam, diphtheria – pertussis – tetanus vaccination has been included in the expanded vaccination since 1984 with 3 basic doses for children aged 2-4 months. However, now diphtheria epidemic has returned and is a public health problem of concern; 93.2% of cases recorded in the Central region are between the ages of 5-40 years old, and cases occur in children who have been vaccinated with 3-4 doses of vaccine containing ingredients. previously detoxified diphtheria. Therefore, the determination of antibodies to diphtheria toxins and factors related to antibody retention in the 5-40 year old target group is necessary for the implementation of appropriate epidemic response activities. , effective. Especially, Khanh Hoa is a province with developed tourism and large trade, bordering provinces with epidemic circulation, so it is necessary to conduct research on the topic. From the above practice, the topic has focused on researching contents such as: determining the residue of antibodies to diphtheria toxin at the age from 5-40 years old in the provincial community; describe a number of factors related to the persistence of antibodies to diphtheria toxin; propose solutions to prevent and control diphtheria … The results of this research topic will contribute to the development of policies and solutions for the preventive medicine sector of Khanh Hoa in particular and provinces and cities in general in the strategic orientation of the prevention and control of leukemia. almost. Along with that, assessing the current situation of the residue of diphtheria toxin antibodies in the province, helping to have an overall view of the status of immunity to diphtheria in the community; From there, help us to recognize, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of immunization in the future … Explanation of topics approved by the Council of Science and Technology of Khanh Hoa province, allowing Nha Trang Pasteur Institute to implement; Expected implementation time is from 7-2021 to 12-2022.

The new variants were first spotted in countries like Brazil, South Africa and the UK that spontaneously appeared in the last few months of 2020. The main concern was a change in the mutant protein structure of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as E484K, in all three variants in the three countries, the researchers said. The E484K mutation is thought to impair the body’s immune response to the virus. Some scientists expressed concern that the E484K mutation could “elude” the natural immunity from SARS-CoV-2 infection and decrease the protection of existing Covid-19 vaccines. Artwork: Getty Images According to scientists interviewed by Reuters, the appearance of virus variants in different regions of the world shows that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is undergoing “convergent evolution”. Although SARS-CoV-2 will continue to mutate, they suspect the virus will have only a certain number of variants, immunologists and virologists say. However, it is still important to consider whether or not to limit the number of variants that make the SARS-CoV-2 virus less dangerous. “It can be said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has a relatively limited number of variants that avoid antibodies before releasing the strongest ‘card’,” said Shane Crotty, virologist at La Institute of Immunology. Jolla in San Diego (USA) said. This could allow drug manufacturers to control disease while they develop the booster Covid-19 vaccine to suppress the current variant. Meanwhile, governments around the world are still struggling to control the pandemic that has killed nearly 3 million people globally. The opinion that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has only a certain amount of mutation has been the subject of discussion among experts since the beginning of February. According to a study, scientists have discovered seven variations of SARS. -CoV-2 appears in the US, has the same mutation. The convergent evolutionary process of SARS-CoV-2 According to Reuters, the process by which different species evolve similar traits to improve survival is central to evolutionary biology. The wide spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 128 million infections worldwide, allows scientists to observe the viral evolution in practice. “If you want to write a book about the evolution of viruses, you can do it now,” said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health in an interview. Scientists saw the virus evolve on a smaller scale in 2018 when the H7N9 avian flu virus in China began adapting to a human host. However, there has never been a globally controlled virus such as SARS-CoV-2. Wendy Barclay, a virologist and professor at Imperial College London (UK), said she was amazed at the “staggering amount of convergent evolution” of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “There are dangerous mutations like E484K, N501Y and K417N that all three variants in Brazil, South Africa and UK are carrying,” Ms. Barclay said. SARS-CoV-2 is not a “particularly smart” virus, the scientists said. Each time it infects people, SARS-CoV-2 makes copies of itself, and for each copy, it can make a mistake. While some of the mistakes are insignificant, the ones that give this virus an existential advantage tend to be long-lasting. “If this is repeated, it will provide some developmental advantages for the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Francis Collins. Some experts believe that the virus has a limited number of mutations that can be sustained before affecting its ability to function. Besides, too many mutations will cause the virus to no longer exist in the original version. “If the SARS-CoV-2 virus had an infinite number of ‘tricks,’ we would see a multitude of mutations,” said Michel Nussenzweig, an immunologist at Rockefeller University in New York. Cautious optimism However, the scientists remain cautious and say, predicting how much SARS-CoV-2 will mutate is a challenge. If there is a limit to how this virus can evolve, that would be simpler for the vaccine developers. The Novavax company is making adjustments to the vaccine to prevent variation in South Africa. However, trials have shown that the efficacy of the vaccine against the variant in South Africa is quite low. “The virus can mutate a lot and it still binds to a human host,” Novavax CEO Stan Erck said and hopes the vaccine will be effective for most of the current strains. According to Mr. Stan Erck, Novavax will continue to test vaccines for new strains of strains. Scientists have recently identified seven variants of SARS-Cov-2 in the US, with all mutations occurring in the same key location of the virus. This provides additional evidence of viral convergence evolution. Other research groups are working on exposing the virus to antibodies to force it to mutate. In many cases, the E484K mutation has appeared in the experiment. According to Reuters, the above evidence adds to the cautious optimism that the mutants appear to have many similar characteristics. However, experts say the world must continue to monitor for changes in the SARS-CoV-2 virus and eliminate its ability to mutate by reducing infection through vaccination and restrictive measures. the spread of the disease. “SARS-CoV-2 is still going very strong. We don’t know when the battle against the pandemic will end, ”said Vaughn Cooper, an expert in evolutionary biology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (USA).

Analysis conducted on Roche’s pharmacovigilance database showed 99 cases of serious adverse skin reactions, including 36 cases confirmed by histopathology or according to a specialist’s diagnosis. , in patients taking atezolizumab. About 23,654 patients who were treated in clinical trials and 106,316 after the drug was licensed for circulation in the market were exposed to atezolizumab as of May 17, 2020.

The incidence of serious adverse skin reactions based on laboratory clinical trials with atezolizumab as monotherapy and combination was 0.7% and 0.6%, respectively. A death from toxic epidermal necrolysis has been reported in a 77-year-old patient treated with atezolizumab as monotherapy.

Concerned about the above serious adverse reactions that may occur when taking the drug, Roche Company recommends: If serious adverse skin reactions are suspected, the patient should be referred to a specialist. to be diagnosed and handled appropriately. Treatment with atezolizumab should be discontinued if Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis is suspected. Treatment with atezolizumab should be permanently discontinued if Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis is confirmed, as well as any adverse skin reactions or severe rash at grade 4. Atezolizumab should be used. Caution is given to patients with a history of serious or life-threatening adverse skin reactions during previous treatment with another immunostimulating anticancer drug.

MSc. DS. Chu Thanh Hang

((According to ansm, 4/2021))