Which Country Is Astrazeneca Vaccine From? Is it possible to get 2 injections of different types?

In the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Vietnam, the AstraZeneca vaccine was widely deployed, becoming one of the top choices. If you are wondering where the AstraZeneca vaccine comes from and important related information, let’s explore the details in the article below.

Which country is the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine from?

COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine is one of the vaccines widely used in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Vietnam. In the first import phase, 117,000 doses of vaccine were distributed to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Duong.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca based on technology from Oxford University (UK). This is one of three vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO) on February 15, 2021. Currently, vaccines have been licensed in more than 70 countries and territories.

The first batch of vaccines imported into Vietnam was produced by SK Bioscience (SKBio) – Korea and purchased through VNVC. With strict processes and strict control, the AstraZeneca vaccine has made an important contribution to preventing COVID-19 in Vietnam.

Information about COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine:

• Capacity: 5ml/vial
• Vaccine dose: 2 doses, second dose 12 weeks after the first
• How to use: Inject each dose of 0.5ml
• Vaccine storage: 2 – 8 degrees Celsius
• Expiry date: 6 months from date of manufacture

COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine is indicated for use in individuals 18 years of age and older, except in the following cases: if vaccination is contraindicated.

• Pregnant women, breastfeeding women: Should consult a doctor before getting vaccinated.
• HIV infected people: Vaccination is recommended according to medical instructions.
People infected with COVID-19: Injection is indicated after COVID-19 treatment for at least 6 months.

AstraZeneca vaccine has been proven to be highly effective in enhancing COVID-19 immunity, reducing the risk of severe complications and hospitalization. institute. However, like all other vaccines, AstraZeneca can cause some mild side effects such as fever, injection leg pain, and fatigue.

With strict control in the vaccination campaign, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has contributed to protecting Vietnamese people from COVID-19 and returning life to normal.

AstraZeneca recalls COVID-19 vaccine globally

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has just officially announced the recall of its vaccine COVID-19 on a global scale, with the reason of “excess of calibrated vaccines” compared to actual needs. Accordingly, AstraZeneca will withdraw the marketing license for the Vaxzevria vaccine in Europe.

According to AstraZeneca, the development of more optimal vaccines in preventing COVID-19 virus variants has reduced demand for Vaxzevria. The company confirmed that this vaccine is no longer produced or supplied on the market.

At the same time as the vaccine was recalled, AstraZeneca faced a class action lawsuit when the Vazeria vaccine was accused of causing death and serious injury to some users. Although denying the allegations, in documents submitted to the British High Court in February, the company admitted that in rare cases, the vaccine can cause venous thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).

AstraZeneca affirmed that expert evidence is needed to determine the cause of each case, and emphasized that TTS can occur immediately. even when not vaccinated with the company’s vaccine or when using other vaccines.

Despite being recalled, AstraZeneca’s vaccine has been independently researched to prove its protective effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic, saving more than 6 million lives in the first year of deployment. The World Health Organization (WHO) also affirmed that this vaccine is safe and effective for people 18 years of age and older, and that serious side effects leading to lawsuits are “very rare”.

The decision to recall the vaccine takes effect from May 7, according to the Telegraph. Currently, AstraZeneca is focusing on developing RSV vaccines and obesity drugs, in the context of declining sales due to reduced demand for COVID-19 vaccines, causing the company’s growth rate to slow down.

With this strategy, AstraZeneca hopes to continue to affirm its position in the pharmaceutical field and expand its product portfolio to serve global medical needs. bridge.

Evaluating the effectiveness and side effects of the vaccine COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria)

Protective effectiveness of AstraZeneca vaccine

AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) is one of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for global circulation by the World Health Organization (WHO). Developed by Oxford University, this vaccine initially played an important role in efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. However, controversies about side effects and protective effectiveness are causing public concern.

After With the first injection, the vaccine’s protective effectiveness reaches 76% after 21 days. For the Alpha variant, the vaccine reduces the risk of infection by 48.7%, while for the Delta variant, this figure is 30%. After 2 doses, the protective effectiveness increases to 82%, reducing the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 by 74.5% for the Alpha variant and 67% for the Delta variant.

In Vietnam, AstraZeneca is given priority for vaccination in people aged 18 years and older, but the Ministry of Health recommends 2 full doses, 8-12 weeks apart, to achieve maximum protection.

Controversies about side effects and safety

In addition to its protective effectiveness, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) is also controversial due to rare but serious side effects, including venous thrombosis with syndrome Thrombocytopenia (TTS). Several countries have withdrawn the vaccine or withdrawn its marketing authorization after discovering a link between the vaccine and rare blood clotting conditions.

In the UK, a class action lawsuit involving AstraZeneca has been filed in the High Court, alleging that the vaccine causes serious injury and death considered to determine the level of manufacturer’s responsibility.

After injection, about 10% of people were reported to experience side effects depending on 4 main groups:

• Group 1: Headache, fatigue, itching at injection site (most common).
• Group 2: Muscle pain, discomfort.
• Group 3: Mild fever (about 38 degrees), chills all over the body.
• Group 4: Joint pain, nausea.

Most of these symptoms will disappear after 2-3 days. However, about 1‰ of cases recorded serious hypersensitivity reactions such as vomiting, high fever, difficulty breathing.

In the context of reduced vaccine demand and global vaccine surplus, AstraZeneca sales are declining and growth rate is slowing. The company is currently focusing on producing RSV vaccine and developing obesity drugs to maintain its position in the pharmaceutical market.

People injected with AstraZeneca need to stay at the medical facility for at least 1 hour for monitoring. During the first 3 days, you need to monitor your health closely and contact health authorities immediately if you have unusual symptoms.

Despite the controversy, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) is still recognized by WHO as one of the important COVID-19 vaccines. However, people need to follow information from independent studies to make appropriate vaccination decisions.

Is it safe to get 2 injections of different vaccines?

Currently, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has approved and deployed many types of COVID-19 vaccines in the vaccination program. In addition to AstraZeneca, other vaccines include Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) from the US, Moderna (Spikevax) from the US, Gam-COVID-Vac (Gamaleya Research Institute) from Russia, and Vero Cell (Sinopharm) from China.

The diversity in COVID-19 vaccine lines makes many people wonder about vaccine safety when getting 2 shots of different types, especially for those who received the 1st shot of AstraZeneca. Can the 2nd shot use a different vaccine?

Many international studies have confirmed that vaccines can be combined when the 1st shot is AstraZeneca, and the 2nd shot is Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty). The results show:

• High vaccine effectiveness, good immune response.
• Reactions after injection may increase slightly but within the safe threshold.
• Injection interval (8-12 weeks) helps optimize protection.

However, if the 1st dose was administered with Moderna (Spikevax), Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Vero Cell (Sinopharm), then the 2nd dose needs to be given at the same time type.

In case of stupidityDue to limited vaccine supply, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health may prescribe AstraZeneca for the first shot and Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) for the second shot. Conditions apply:

• The person receiving the injection has no contraindications.
• Agree to use two different vaccines.
• Do not apply a combination of other vaccines to those who have received AstraZeneca in the first shot.

Thus, injecting 2 different shots can be done if the instructions are followed correctly and vaccine safety factors are ensured. Vietnam has deployed vaccination early with AstraZeneca, and at the same time uses many other types of COVID-19 vaccines depending on local vaccine supply. The choice of vaccine will be designated by health authorities to achieve community immunity and protect people’s health.