Bangladesh may start Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine trials among doctors, nurses, and healthcare staffs. What matters most in vaccine development is safety. Vaccine can also kill people. Sinovac has not published a single scientific manuscript about its COVID-19 vaccine. We first need to see Sinovac’s published data on (i) discovery research (ii) animal studies (iii) Phase I study and (iv) Phase II study. Without making those data published, we should not put more risks on our doctors and nurses. Oxford-AstraZenneca, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson etc. have published their vaccine data.
Sinovac was established 21 years ago, however, none of Sinovac’s vaccine has reached Europe and America. Vaccines need to be of high quality in order to be marketed in Europe and America.
Inactivated virus vaccine technology that Sinovac uses has also limitations. Among others, duration of protection is limited, cell-mediated immune response critical for vaccine efficacy is sub-optimal and notably, chance of vaccine-enhanced disease is high.
Natural coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection is expected to mount stronger immune responses in humans but published data from various countries worryingly show that the neutralizing antibody response declines fast. Inactivated virus vaccine technology that Sinovac uses is expected to mount weaker immune responses compared to natural SARS-CoV-2 infection, therefore, among others, the duration of immune protection by Synovac vaccine needs to be published first.
India is doing Oxford-AstraZenneca vaccine trial. Let’s bring good COVID-19 vaccine trials in Bangladesh without jeopardizing the heath risks of our doctors, nurses, and healthcare staffs.
