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Medicine Science

Mixing Covid Vaccines Gives Good Protection, Study Suggests (bbc.com) 49

Posted by msmash from the closer-look dept.
A mix-and-match approach to Covid vaccines -- using different brands of jab for first and second doses -- gives good protection against the pandemic virus, a UK study has found. From a report: The Com-Cov trial looked at the efficacy of either two doses of Pfizer, two of AstraZeneca, or one of them followed by the other. All combinations worked well, priming the immune system. This knowledge could offer flexibility for vaccine rollout, say experts. The trial results also hint that people who have already received two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine could have a stronger immune response if they were given a different jab as a booster if recommended in the autumn. The UK's deputy chief medical officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, said there was no reason to change the current successful same dose vaccine schedules in the UK, however, given vaccines were in good supply and saving lives. But he says it might be something to look at in the future: "Mixing doses could provide us with even greater flexibility for a booster programme, while also supporting countries who have further to go with their vaccine rollouts, and who may be experiencing supply difficulties."
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Mixing Covid Vaccines Gives Good Protection, Study Suggests More

Mixing Covid Vaccines Gives Good Protection, Study Suggests

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  • was there ever a legitimate medical reason to believe that like-kind vaccines (mrna and viral vector) couldn't be mixed to yield the same result?

    • depends what the mrna codes for, could be different. and the body's defenses to "dead virus vax" could be yet another thing. Not impossible to believe that one would be more effective than another against mutant variations.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by shilly ( 142940 )

      The immunology of this is actually pretty clever and not as obvious as you might think. There was a great piece on this earlier this year on Radio 4, but I can't find it now to link to. This article hints at some of it: https://geneonline.news/en/is-... [geneonline.news]

  • Canada's already actively doing this (Score:5, Informative)

    by JediTrainer ( 314273 ) on Monday June 28, 2021 @01:58PM (#61530294)
    AZ recipient here. Those receiving AZ for the first dose have the choice of AZ, Moderna or Pfizer for the second (depending on availability). Just received my second dose as Moderna over the weekend with no issues.

    They are actively mixing Pfizer and Moderna to the public now, dosing based on availability. That doesn't stop people from vaccine shopping, but the difference is being likened to a "Coke vs Pepsi" decision. Aside from under-18s, both types of mRNA vaccines are being offered as if they're interchangeable now. The message is, get what you can as soon as you can.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Galaxie ( 40909 )

      Wolverine was Canadian... I'm an Atlantic Canadian though.. I'll probably end up like some sort of Aquaman instead.

      But seriously, can't re-iterate enough, 'get what you can as soon as you can' holds strong. My rather small province was mostly Pfizer, but I'd have taken whatever they had in a heartbeat for my shots.

    • Re:Canada's already actively doing this (Score:5, Funny)

      by fahrbot-bot ( 874524 ) on Monday June 28, 2021 @02:56PM (#61530568)

      ... the difference is being likened to a "Coke vs Pepsi" decision.

      Probably followed by a "New Vaccine" vs "Vaccine Classic" fiasco. :-)

      • ... the difference is being likened to a "Coke vs Pepsi" decision.

        Probably followed by a "New Vaccine" vs "Vaccine Classic" fiasco. :-)

        Does that make the Sinovac one Coke Zero?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by shilly ( 142940 )

      Is this in the UK? Interesting, that's a pretty recent change. I got my 2nd dose last week (AZ both times) and they were strict about homologous dosing at that point. But then we had the switch to grab-a-jab at the weekend too, and it certainly feels like the drum-beat of infections is really speeding up now -- self-isolation is happening absolutely everywhere suddenly from exposure to Delta -- so I think they are now switching much more aggressively to the policy you describe.

      Frankly, I think nothing will

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by shilly ( 142940 )

        Doh! You said "Canada" in your subject line. I was too busy reading the text...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by nojayuk ( 567177 )

        There's a booster trial going on in the UK, headed up by a team from the University of Southampton. They're recruiting volunteers who received full vaccinations in January and February this year to receive a booster vaccination. They're trying three different protocols -- one dose of the same vaccine, half a dose of the same vaccine (to reduce the amount of vaccine needed for a booster program) and the third option is to give a full dose of a different vaccine. The double-blind option is a meningococcus vac

    • In Canada everybody 12+ who wanted a first dose already got one. Most people got Pfizer. Canada now has an excess of Moderna, so is using it as second doses for people who got Pfizer or AZ as a first dose.

      Also Moderna is not yet authorized for minors.

      • What are the medium- and long-term complications of getting Moderna? (Nobody knows.) If you get both, then you're exposed to the potential long-term complications of two vaccines instead of just one. The reason AZ is banned in a lot of places and people are encouraged to get an mRNA vaccine for the second dose is the discovered short-term complications of AZ. Pretending that AZ followed by mRNA was the best plan all along sounds like ass-protecting propaganda.

        • What are the medium- and long-term complications of getting Moderna? (Nobody knows.)

          Of course but when is it the last time we used a vaccine on 100+ million people, only to find out that it was a bad idea after side effects discovered 6 months to 10 years later?

          And what are the medium- and long-term complications of COVID-19? (Nobody knows.). Short term complications are known to be quite bad for enough people.

          So at this point, given what we know, taking a vaccine (including two doses of AZ) is the safest choice.

          If you get both, then you're exposed to the potential long-term complications of two vaccines instead of just one.

          Not really, since you are not getting two doses of the two vaccines. There is

  • Too late. Delta variant will hit a few states (Score:3, Insightful)

    by smooth wombat ( 796938 ) on Monday June 28, 2021 @03:24PM (#61530708) Journal
    As the number of people receiving vaccines in the U.S. continues to slow, it has become apparent the Delta variant will have an impact on select communities in certain states [cnn.com]. Those states being Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Wyoming.

    The reason those five states are singled out is due exclusively to the low number of people who are vaccinated. Currently, less than 35% of the people in those states are fully vaccinated compared to almost half of the entire U.S. population. These states also voted for the con artist. Coincidence?

    With the Delta variant being both more highly transmittable and more deadly, expect daily covid deaths to rise from the current ~250 to over 1,000 by the end of the year and into the next.
    • Well, I heard numbers were up a bit in AR, but in LA, so far, not any real rise in numbers and we've had all mask mandates down awhile, festivals and concerts are firing up again, but most of that is outdoors.

      I believe most vaccinated are in the few populous cities, like NOLA and Baton Rouge here in LA, but the unvaccinated are mostly in the more isolated and rural areas, so that may keep number low/slower than having that many un-vax'ed in densely populated areas.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Jzanu ( 668651 )
        That is an incomplete model. Infection only requires contact with enough droplets from someone who is infected in an area and over time, exposure is cumulative from all infected and n an area contributing to aerosol transmission. If there are more people in a given area obviously there is a greater risk. However if there are few people who congregate in the same places repeatedly they have a comparable and potential even greater risk. That is, both big cities AND small towns have increased risk compared to

        • That is, both big cities AND small towns have increased risk compared to real contact isolation.

          Unless something drastically changes....that contact isolation ship has sailed and isn't coming back.

          I don't think the US would put up with any more of that....I just don't see it happening.

  • I got the J&J vaccine, because it was all they were giving out and I was sold on it being 'good enough'. Now I want to upgrade and get some more protection, when/how is that gonna happen?

  • A UK study published by the BBC, who recently stated it would not expose lies for "fear it would undermine public faith in democracy" Id like to see a study from a country that is not poisoned with propaganda and led by liars before commenting.

  • I've seen a lot of different memes related to getting all the vaccines. It sounds stupid, worthy of a new Marvel movie about super soldiers. By the way, I could get the same effect if I studied all the languages of the world, but this is insanely difficult and seems impossible. I've read more info [preply.com] here about how to learn languages faster, but it's still hard for me.

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