A summary of COVID-19 Vaccines as of late February 2021

The Latest On The COVID-19 Vaccines - February 2021

OneRecord

With Covid-19 case rates dropping nationwide, we are nearing a glimpse of a post-Covid future. Still, real hope for a new, new normal is carried by vaccines-- effective, timely, and widespread vaccinations. After a series of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs, five different vaccines have been approved, each with its own mechanism of action, range of efficacy, along with logistical, supply, and cost challenges. Here we survey the leading vaccines approved for distribution. 

The Pfizer vaccine, co-developed with the German firm, BioNTech, is a two-shot regimen given three weeks apart. This vaccine takes advantage of mRNA to transport genetic instructions for the Covid-19 spike protein inside human cells. Once the instructions are read by the ribosomes, the cell begins producing copies of the spike protein. These cells are then recognized as intruders and attacked by Helper T cells and B cells.  The immune system, now familiar with the spike protein, is prepared to defend against Covid-19 in the wild. 

 With an efficacy of 95% in preventing infection, Pfizer, along with Moderna, leads the pack. But from a logistical and cost perspective, there are significant challenges. Pfizer’s vaccine requires a “cold chain” of storage that maintains the vials at -94 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigeration of this grade is not widely available--not at pharmacies or Doctors’ offices--so distribution will likely be slowed. Its cost too, which is twice that of Johnson & Johnson’s, likely places this vaccine out of reach for all but the wealthiest nations. The fact that two doses are required can also be seen as a limitation. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, in contrast, requires a single dose and can be stored in standard refrigerators. 

Developed by a Massachusetts biotechnology firm in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Moderna’s vaccine also uses mRNA to educate the immune system. A two-dose regimen provides 94% efficacy in preventing Covid infections, and 99% efficacy in preventing severe infections. An important advantage of Moderna’s vaccine is that it can be stored in ordinary refrigerators, making distribution logistics much simpler. But Moderna’s vaccine requires a dose of 100 micrograms (three times that of Pfizer’s) which presents its own supply challenge. Studies are now underway to see if a lower dose would be as effective.

Johnson & Johnson took a different approach than Moderna or Pfizer. This vaccine does not use mRNA, but rather makes use of a harmless adenovirus which normally causes the common cold. Engineering this virus to carry instructions to make the Covid-19 spike protein enables delivery of the protein’s genetic code to a human cell, where it is then recognized as an intruder and destroyed. This same approach has previously been approved to combat Ebola. 

This vaccine is a single-shot regimen with 85% effectiveness against severe Covid infections. In preventing mild to moderate cases, the demonstrated efficacy is 66 percent. Given that this vaccine can be stored in standard refrigeration for months, and that its cost is ⅓ that of Pfizer’s, this may prove the vaccine of choice where logistics and cost are key considerations. 

A partnership between Oxford University and Swiss biotechnology firm, AstraZeneca, has produced a vaccine with 82.4% efficacy in preventing infection. Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, the Oxford team decided to use double-stranded DNA rather than mRNA to transport spike protein genes. Due to DNA’s robust protein coating which makes it much sturdier than mRNA, this vaccine needn’t be frozen and has a long shelf-life in ordinary refrigeration. 

Using a well-studied and previously approved technique pioneered by Johnson & Johnson in its Ebola vaccine, the Oxford team uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus to transport spike protein building instructions into human cells, thus provoking an immune response. The modified adenovirus is safe to use in this scenario as it can enter cells, but cannot replicate inside them.

While its safety and efficacy for those over 65 and for children is still to be determined, for the broad middle demographics, this vaccine’s low cost (3-4$/dose) and logistical simplicity makes it an appealing option for many nations.

A Maryland-based firm utilized a well-known technique for modifying a gene and then allowing it to infect a host cell in order to harvest modified but inert infectious agents. Here, a modified version of the Covid spike protein was allowed to infect a moth cell which then produced altered spike proteins. They then harvested those spike proteins and assembled them into nanoparticles, which mimic the structure and function of real-world spike proteins, but have no power to infect or cause illness. 

These nanoparticles then in circulation, the immune system is encouraged by a chemical attractant to see and destroy the nanoparticles. But while the particles are not infectious, the immune system has learned to identify and destroy the Covid-19 spike protein. 

Like the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the Novavax vaccine does not need to be frozen and has a 3-month shelf life under ordinary refrigeration. With an efficacy rate of 89% and simple logistics, Novovax could become a critical asset in the fight against Covid. 

Scientists think the Moderna and BioNTech vaccines will still work against two variants of concern that were first identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa, but emerging evidence — including from a different experimental vaccine trial — suggests that the protection might be considerably less complete.

Novavax — which, by the way, is in the midst of a large late-stage trial in North America — proved effective at stopping symptomatic infections in global hot spots where concerning variants are dominant, the company announced Thursday. However, warning signs lurked amid those findings: The protective effect of the vaccine was substantially muted in South Africa, where a worrisome virus variant is in wide circulation.

Dr. Fauci said that the more crucial measure was the ability to prevent severe disease, which translates to keeping people out of the hospital and preventing deaths. And that result, for Johnson & Johnson, was 85 percent in all of the countries where it was tested, including South Africa, where a rapidly spreading variant of the virus had shown some ability to elude vaccines.

Here's The Latest On The COVID-19 Vaccines 

Your round-up on the latest COVID-19 Immunization News

Even though you may be excited to share your vaccine status with all your friends and family on social media, here are some important reasons to be careful of what information you're sharing online.

What You Need to Know Before Posting Your COVID-19 Vaccine Card Online

After almost a full year of wearing masks and adhering to social distancing guidelines, COVID-19 vaccinations are finally being rolled out across the United States. While you may be excited to share your vaccine status with all your friends and family on social media, here are some reasons to be careful of what information you're sharing online.

Sharing sensitive personal information could put you at risk of identity theft.

When it comes to posting on social media in general, a great rule of thumb is to avoid posting anything with sensitive personal information. This could mean your full name, date of birth, social security number, home address, medical records, place of work, or even something as seemingly harmless as your child’s birthdate. People intending to commit identity theft often use social media to collect all different types of information about people and use combinations of this information to log into your accounts jeopardize your identity.

Now you may be wondering, “what information is so sensitive on my COVID-19 vaccination card that may put me at risk of scams or identity theft?” Well, excellent question! Most vaccination cards will display your full name, your date of birth, and where/ when you got vaccinated. Although each of these pieces of information are not particularly dangerous to display on their own, when used together there is a potential risk of identity theft. 

Your ability to receive a subsequent dose may be interfered with.

Many COVID-19 vaccines require a few week latency period between doses and by posting your vaccination card online you may even interfere with your ability to get the second dose. With many people having a vested interest in getting this vaccine, hackers and scammers may use your sensitive information to make fake vaccine cards or otherwise interfere with the vaccination process. It may be wise to hold off on posting until your vaccination is complete.

HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a law that is designed to protect medical patients and their sensitive information from being shared or disclosed without their knowledge. By posting your COVID-19 vaccination card you may be voiding or compromising your HIPAA protections. Losing HIPAA protections, in addition to sharing sensitive personal information, puts you at even higher risk of your medical portals being hacked or medical identity theft. 

With so many dark clouds over us this past year, it makes sense to want to share some rays of sunshine and hope via social media, but it’s still incredibly important to continue to protect yourself and your family. We hope that with these few potential dangers in mind you will make informed choices on what you share online.

Want your COVID-19 immunization record secured conveniently on your phone instead of on a paper card?  Download OneRecord to have your vaccine data - along with all your medical records -  ready whenever you may need them. 

Even though you may be excited to share your vaccine status on social media, here are some important things to consider before sharing that information online.

Read This Before Posting Your COVID-19 Vaccine Card Online

OneRecord proudly recognizes Holy Cross Health as an industry changemaker in our Provider Spotlight.

Provider Spotlight: Holy Cross Health

February 12th, 2021 - OneRecord proudly recognizes Holy Cross Health as an industry changemaker in our Provider Spotlight.

In advance of the April 2021, 21st Century Cures Act Information Blocking compliance date, Holy Cross Health has demonstrated initiative to make health data access a reality for their community by allowing patients to access their medical records digitally through consumer-facing health platforms like OneRecord. 

Holy Cross Health, a not-for-profit health system based in Montgomery County, Md., that serves more than 200,000 patients each year through a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and innovative community-based services, sets an example for other industry provider networks to allow patients to access their data through secure, standards-based APIs using an application of their choice.

Enabling patients to access their digital records through FHIR APIs fortifies Holy Cross Health's commitment to patient care. 

Way to go Holy Cross Health! You deserve this round of applause for being so forward-thinking and organized!

OneRecord proudly recognizes Holy Cross Health as an industry changemaker in our Provider Spotlight.d

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