Products
Covid-19 vaccines are in the development and approval phase and are already available in some countries. In many countries, BNT162b2 was the first agent approved on December 19, 2020. mRNA-1273 was approved in the EU on January 6, 2021, and in many countries on January 12, 2021. The first approval will be in Russia with Sputnik V on August 11, 2020.
Rep.
In the months following the global SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, more than 200 covid-19 vaccines have been developed. Some key representatives are listed below: Nucleic acids: mRNA vaccines:
- BNT162b2 (BioNTech, Pfizer, Germany).
- MRNA-1273 (Moderna, USA).
DNA vaccines: with viral adenovirus vector:
- AZD1222 (Oxford University, AstraZeneca, England).
- JNJ-78436735 (Ad26.COV2.S, Johnson & Johnson, USA).
- Sputnik V (Russia)
Inactivated coronaviruses:
- CoronaVac (Sinovac Biotech, China).
Subunit vaccines (proteins of the virus).
Effects
The basic principle of vaccination is that the human body is exposed to antigens of the coronavirus. These are traditionally contained directly in the drugs. The proteins elicit an immune response and neutralizing antibodies are produced. A new process is used in various Covid 19 vaccines. A nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) is administered with a lipid nanoparticle or with the help of a viral vector. The viral vector is usually adenoviruses, which cannot replicate and which contain DNA encoding a viral protein. The antigenic viral protein is formed from the nucleic acid only in the body after uptake into the cells. The spike protein (S) of the coronavirus is mainly used for the vaccines. It is responsible for the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the host cell and uptake into the cells.
Indications
For active immunization against covid-19 and thus prevention of infectious disease.
Dosage
According to the SmPC. Vaccines are usually administered as intramuscular injections. The number of injections depends on the vaccine and usually varies from 1 to 3. However, peroral and intranasal products have also been developed.
Contraindications
Full precautions can be found in the drug label after approval.
Adverse effects
In clinical studies conducted to date, the most common potential adverse effects include, on the one hand, local reactions at the injection site such as pain, swelling, and redness. On the other hand, systemic adverse reactions such as mild fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, headache, fatigue, feeling sick, muscle aches, and joint pain may occur. For the treatment of these symptoms, acetaminophen may be administered if needed.
