COVID Booster Shot Against Delta

Moderna's COVID booster shots produced robust antibody response against Delta, revealed results of Phase 2 clinical trials.

In the trial, Moderna tested a 50-microgram dose of three vaccine booster candidates in previously vaccinated //individuals.

Delta Variant Drives Increased Fake Covid Vaccine Certificates
Delta variant of Covid-19 has increased the number of groups on Telegram that advertise fake vaccination cards by 257 percent, and CPR estimates that over 2,500 groups are currently active.

‘Moderna said it aims to produce between 800 million to 1 billion Covid vaccine doses this year. It has also signed vaccine contracts worth $20 billion in sales this year and has agreements worth $12 billion in 2022. ’

The findings showed that it induced robust antibody responses against the wildtype D614G Covid-19 strain and against important variants of concern including Gamma (P1); Beta (B1351); and Delta (B16172), the US pharmaceutical major said in a statement.

"Neutralising antibody levels following the boost approached those observed after primary vaccination with two doses of 100 microgram of mRNA-1273," it added. The data has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

The company added that its Covid-19 vaccine does not wane away and remains durable through six months after the second dose. The result of its clinical trial, which started in late July 2020 and recruited 30,000 volunteers, showing 94.1 per cent efficacy did not change much after six months, the company said in a statement.

Delta Threat Stops US Schools from Reopening
CDC data showed that children under 15 years of age had the lowest infection rates. However, the scene has changed as children between the ages of 5-11 and 12-15 were found to have higher infection rates than adults 50 and older. Masks are the only armor for students under 12 years.

"We are pleased that our Covid-19 vaccine is showing durable efficacy of 93 per cent through six months, but recognise that the Delta variant is a significant new threat so we must remain vigilant," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said.

Moderna has also filed to the US Food and Drug Administration for a final approval of its vaccine on June 1, and expects to complete its submission in August.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Myths and Facts
Debunking several misconceptions or myths that have surfaced regarding covid vaccination is important and focus on the facts related to COVID-19 vaccines.

The company is also conducting clinical trials of mRNA candidates in across five therapeutic areas including infectious diseases, cardiovascular, oncology, rare disease, and autoimmune disorder.

"We have begun preparing late stage studies for our flu vaccine and RSV vaccine, which received fast track designation from the FDA a few days ago and are looking forward towards our vision of a single dose annual booster that provides protection against Covid-19, flu and RSV for adults," Bancel said.

COVID-19 Vaccination in India: Issues and Challenges
India’s COVID-19 vaccination program has been launched. It currently uses the vaccines Covishield and Covaxin. There are some issues and challenges that need to be overcome in order to vaccinate all Indians.

On Thursday, the company also released its second-quarter earnings report. Moderna's Covid vaccine generated $4.2 billion in sales in the three months ended June 30, the earnings report said.

Source-IANS