The detection of the immune-escape-derived triple-mutant B.1.618 Bengal strain indicates the high evolution potential of the SARS-CoV-2. The phased introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines without sterilizing immunity in vulnerable populations raises the possibility of infection transmission from the vaccinated to unvaccinated individuals, with the subsequent activation of vaccination-induced virus evolution. An open letter by Geert Vanden Bossche, DMV, PhD highlights the need for caution with mass vaccination campaigns using the available first-generation COVID-19 vaccines. The emergence of increasingly virulent and more aggressive mutant strains speak to the potential for mutagenicity and immune escape by SARS-CoV-2. Given the gap between vaccine production and vaccinee numbers, a risk-stratified vaccine delivery strategy is the need of the hour. The following excerpts from an article by Domingo E highlights the possibility of generating high-fitness antigenic variants. This possibility gains alarming significance when viewed against selection-pressure-induced evolutionary adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 (Lawson G. The evolving coronavirus. New Scientist 2020; 248 (3305):10-11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02624079/248/3305), which was under relatively weak selection pressure prior to the introduction of vaccination using vaccines without sterilizing immunity.
“8.3.2. Vaccination-induced evolution
When a virus circulates in a population where vaccinated and unvaccinated host individuals coexist, and the vaccine does not induce sterilizing immunity, viruses with an altered antigenic profile might be selected. The larger the overall effective population size of the circulating virus, and the longer the virus is allowed to replicate in such a scenario, the higher the probability of incorporation of compensatory mutations that yield high-fitness antigenic variants.”
“These events in the case of vaccines used in veterinary medicine are particularly significant because they may alter the cell tropism and host range of viruses, thus increasing the possibilities of their zoonotic transmission into humans (Schat and Baranowski, 2007). Evidence of vaccination-induced DNA and RNA virus evolution is increasing, and it has been documented with bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine herpesvirus-1, Marek’s disease virus, porcine circovirus 2, and classical swine fever virus, among others”
“Vaccine-escape mutants may arise due to ineffective vaccines, and concomitant factors, such as immunosuppression. The escape mutants may remain confined to the unsuccessfully vaccinated host or may spread to other susceptible individuals, and attain different degrees of epidemiological relevance. Escape mutants may be direct mutants of the infecting virus or may originate by recombination between the infecting virus and other coinfecting related viruses”
I’m not a medical professional but I’m talking of my general understanding of how these vaccines work.
First off, vaccines Do Not cure COVID. What they do is that they generate an immune response in our body so that if we come in contact of any strain of the virus, we have the ability to naturally neutralize the virus as a part of our normal immune response. This means that over time, if we get exposed to Covid-19, our body knows how to fight and neutralize the virus. Since these new mutations are the mutation of the original Sars-Cov-2 virus, so far, the initial investigation shows that the vaccines are effective against these new strains as well. However, continous research is being conducted to make sure that each and every variant found is getting neutralized by the immune response through vaccines.
Now, let’s understand a few common facts:1. The Vaccines don’t cure Covid. It gives the same kind of immune response like a person who naturally recovered from Covid would have. However, research is being conducted to identify how long the response lasts and if booster doses are needed after certain time.
2. Vaccines don’t guarantee you won’t get covid after immunization. They However guarantee that you won’t get a life threatening condition and that you’ll only get very mild symptoms if you get infected with covid after getting vaccinated.
As for Your question, Everyone Must take vaccine whenever possible. This gives your body the ability to fight the virus. It is a life saving thing.
That depends on whether your risk from the disease is high. I believe that the vaccination strategy should match production capabilities. There are more than 200 vaccine candidates under study. I will wait for one that induces sterilizing immunity, such as Novavax, but only after there’s plenty of safety data. Until then, I’ll follow HCQ prophylaxis and improve my intake of vitamins C and D and zinc.
I am a medical professional, and I disagree with some of the points you’ve made.
Vaccines are ideally meant to prevent disease. That happens when they can trigger sterilizing immunity. A vaccine is not a treatment for any illness; just a preventive strategy.
Our body has the ability to fight off SARS-CoV-2 even without the vaccine. And that is why 75-80% of those who are exposed to the virus don’t even develop symptoms. In 10-15%, the symptoms are due to their body developing a defensive response against the infection, and they recover without complications and routine symptomatic treatment. In 5-6% of people, there’s an excessive immune response against the virus that ends up damaging the body’s defense mechanisms, and leads to secondary infections and complications; these people need hospitalized and advanced care. A suitable vaccination strategy would identify and vaccinate this 5-6% of the population first, because currently only 2% of the population has been vaccinated, and that does not essentially include those who are most at risk. A mutation occurs to enable the organism to survive. Please don’t make unsubstantiated claims that the currently available vaccines will be able to induce immunity against novel mutant strains. Response to your point 1: No, all vaccines do not confer the same type of immunity as you would get from the infection. That depends on the type of vaccine you’re taking. The two vaccines available in India induce different types of immune responses. The immunity from natural infection or from the vaccine for COVID-19 is quite variable and ranges from 8 weeks onwards. Response to your point 2: You cannot guarantee that the vaccine will absolutely prevent a life-threatening condition, especially when the majority of the population would, in any case, have not developed a life-threatening condition. Vaccine efficacy defines whether most of the people who receive the vaccine are protected. It’s too early in the game to make statements about how a vaccine will work in a specific population. These vaccines have received only emergency-use authorization, which isn’t the same as the stringent evaluation and approval process that is normally followed.
As I already said, I’m not a medical professional and my knowledge is based upon various promotional materials being broadcasted on various media. I totally agree to what you said and I agree to what those promotional campaigns are saying.
My intention is so that whoever gets a chance to get vaccinated, does so at the earliest, Instead of potentially losing their life.
I’ve removed the misinformation from my previous reply thanks for clarifying.
thanks for clarifying.