100,000 AstraZeneca Doses of Vaccine Promised This Month. What is the vaccine?
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The Bahamas is set to receive 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine this month.
In a press statement released from the Office of the Prime Minister, it was confirmed that the government was notified by COVAX of the estimated COVID-19 vaccine dose allocation for the first phase of delivery to the Bahamas.
COVAX, a coalition led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi (Vaccine Alliance), informed Bahamian health authorities that the country could receive 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, at the beginning of the second half of February through the second quarter of 2021.
How it works
- The AstraZeneca vaccine is made from a weakened version of the common cold from chimpanzees but modified to look like coronavirus.
- When injected into the arms of a patient, the immune system begins to make antibodies and attacks any coronavirus infection.
How effective is AstraZeneca?
According to a study, the AstraZeneca vaccine is 82% effective against the virus, with a three-month gap between two shots.
The trial data by the University of Oxford shows that the vaccine also significantly reduces the transmission of the virus.
Swabs taken from volunteers in the U.K. arm of the trial showed a 67% reduction in transmission after the first dose.
The German COVID vaccination committee recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine only be used for the 18-64 age group, citing the lack of data on its effectiveness on people over the age of 65.
The AstraZeneca trials show that the most common side effects of the vaccine were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days after vaccination. The most common side effects are pain and tenderness at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, a general feeling of being unwell, chills, fever, joint pain, and nausea.
The country’s National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee will hold a press conference on Thursday at 5 pm, to discuss the details about the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
