AstraZeneca vaccine is not the most efficacious of all – Tomori

No fewer than 13 countries in Europe have temporarily suspended the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine following concerns about deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and blood clotting. A professor of virology, Oyewale Tomori, speaks with DAYO OJERINDE on the suspension of the vaccine in some countries and the growing fears among Nigerians

Some experts believe that clinical trials should be done in Nigeria before administering the COVID-19 vaccine in the country. Do you also share the same sentiment?

Yes, that is the ideal thing to do. Countries like South Africa and Egypt participated in some of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. Unfortunately, our great country does not have the facility for conducting clinical trials. This is why the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is only able to scrutinise dossiers from manufacturers and focus on relying on approval by other regulatory authorities. As we speak, there is an ongoing clinical trial for the Lassa fever vaccine in Ghana. With the way Lassa fever ravages Nigeria, and the number of cases we report every year, we should be conducting such a trial here in Nigeria. We have human resources but lack the enabling and conducive environment for our talented human resources to excel. The Nigerian toxic environment is poison for technological advancement needed for human development.

There are also those that say the AstraZeneca vaccine is the least effective among the vaccines approved for emergency use by the WHO. What do you have to say to this?

I have heard one of our senators make the same comment. AstraZeneca is not the most efficacious vaccine of the lot, but you can store it in the ordinary refrigerator unlike the Pfizer vaccine or Moderna which require ultralow temperatures. For one Pfizer dose, you can buy 5 to 6 AstraZeneca doses. So, there are other considerations much more than efficacy. In any case, these vaccines are donations purchased with other people’s contributions. When Nigeria wakes up from slumber and decides to buy vaccines with her own money she will have to consider other issues of storage and cost along with the efficacy of the vaccine

Does the vaccine confer life-long immunity?

Nobody knows as the vaccine has only been used for less than a year; so, we cannot be talking of life-long immunity. I am not sure there is a vaccine that confers life-long immunity, except may be for the yellow fever vaccine. It is not likely that the COVID-19 vaccine will confer any long-duration immunity.

What are the side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine?

Same as for other vaccines; pain and/or swelling at the site of injection, fever, nausea, etc. These are normal body reactions to the introduction of a foreign protein and they are temporary. People have different allergies and may react more severely to vaccinations

The suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine in some countries is a concern for many Nigerians. How do we convince Nigerians that the vaccine is safe?

To say there is a concern is understandable. However, we should know that over 300 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The number of adverse reactions is insignificant. More importantly according to the WHO, there is currently no linkage or causal association of the severe side effect with the COVID-19 vaccine. Some of the countries that temporarily halted COVID-19 vaccination haven’t seen one case of adverse effect. They are only taking precautionary measures even without any reported severe adverse reaction. We need precaution, not panic

Although there is no record of a side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine yet, what do you think should be the response of the government when citizens report a side effect as a result of taking the vaccine?

Of course, monitoring of vaccinated persons for any adverse effect is one of the mandates of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. They call it pharmaco-vigilance

What will happen to those who refuse to take the second shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine?

They are likely not going to have a robust immunity. The second dose guarantees a fuller and more robust immunity and protection.

For wider coverage, do you think the Federal Government should allow the state government and the private sector to participate in the importation of vaccines into the country?

I think, for now, we should let the government ‘control’ the importation. There are reports that fake vaccines are already available and being sold. Nigeria has her own share of unscrupulous businessmen and women who are ever ready to make money at the expense of the life of the ordinary man.

What percentage of the population should be vaccinated before we can start talking about herd immunity?

It varies from one disease to the other, depending on the epidemiology of the disease. For COVID-19, it is anything between 60 and 70 per cent of the population.

What is the danger of not meeting the target?

The disease continues to spread in the community. Achieving herd immunity means there may still be cases but only among those unimminised.

There seems to be a disregard for non-pharmaceutical preventive methods of COVID-19 among Nigerians.

It is nothing new. We have a suicidal inclination for disregarding matters that would safeguard our lives. We have a natural penchant for not complying with rules and regulations designed for our well being

A lot of Nigerians do not believe in the vaccine. Whose duty it is to change this mindset?

We all have a role to play; the government, legislators, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, community leaders, the ordinary man on the street. There is a need for synergy in changing peoples’ mindsets about the vaccine.

Will the discovery of vaccines speed up the search for a cure for COVID-19?

The search for drug actually is on and being done simultaneously, with vaccine development

With more vaccines being discovered, is the end of COVID-19 in sight?

I do not think so. This is an elusive invasive currently invincible virus. Were the virus a human, it would be described as a genius. It is still unfolding and we know not what monster it will mutate to.

The figures seem to be coming down. Does it mean we are winning the war against COVID-19?

The figures coming down do not mean we are winning the war against the virus, not at all. The figures came down between August and November only to surge in December. Also, we need to confirm that the number of tests is not also coming down. As to winning the war, I think it is still a dream and we are yet to wake up from that dream of winning the war against the dreaded coronavirus.