“If we show that these vaccines can be used interchangeably, it will greatly increase the flexibility of their distribution,” said Professor Matthew Snape, the Oxford researcher in charge of the experiments. Presented worldwide, the study will involve 820 volunteers over the age of 50, and will focus on combining the two vaccines currently in use in the UK, the Pfizer / Bioendech Alliance and the Astrogenega / Oxford vaccine.
He will evaluate the effectiveness of protection based on the distance between the two injections, check the four-week interval longer than initially recommended, and British officers will maintain the 12-week interval and vaccinate more individuals.
The country, the worst-hit country in Europe with more than 108,000 deaths, has made the United Kingdom vaccine a national factor in surviving the health crisis, and in the event of an epidemic, forced a third lockout in early January. .
Jonathan Van-Tom, deputy medical director for the UK, stressed the interest in “having the data to support a highly flexible vaccination program”, especially due to “supply barriers”.
“The immune response will be better by combining vaccines, with higher levels of antibodies and lasting longer,” he said.
The first Western country to launch its campaign, the United Kingdom has so far vaccinated more than 10 million people and targeted 15 million people in mid-February, including those over 70, caregivers and high-risk individuals.
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