What do you know about the AstraZeneca Vaccine that Nigeria approved?

AstraZeneca does not have to be cooled at particularly low temperatures

Last week, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approved the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in the country.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, also known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, or AZD1222, is a viral vector vaccine. Scientists used an adenovirus, originally derived from chimpanzees, and modified it with the aim of training the immune system to mount a strong response against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

Here are 6 things to note about the AstraZeneca vaccine:

• There has been a lot of controversies surrounding the efficacy of the vaccine although recently, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) issued interim recommendations for use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222).

• AstraZeneca vaccination is recommended for persons with co-morbidities that have been identified as increasing the risk of severe COVID-19, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes. Persons living with HIV or auto-immune conditions or who are immune, who are part of a group recommended for vaccination may be vaccinated after receiving information and counselling. Vaccination can be offered to breastfeeding women if they are part of a group prioritized for vaccination. WHO does not recommend discontinuation of breastfeeding after vaccination.

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• The vaccine does not work for the South African variant of the Virus. As a result, South Africa temporarily stopped its planned vaccinations with the vaccine.

• Like in South Africa, report also revealed that in Europe, thousands of healthcare workers are refusing to take the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over concerns about side effects and efficacy, with some arguing that they should be prioritized for the more effective doses from Pfizer and Moderna.

• BUA Group and CACOVID bought 1 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses for Nigerians

•  The Astrazeneca vaccine is considered important for developing countries, mainly because it does not have to be cooled at particularly low temperatures although Australia and Saudi-Arabia also approved it for emergency use.

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