Scientifically, a vaccine is a suspension of dead, impoverished, or particles of pathogens or viruses or immunoglobulins or lymphocytes delivered to prevent disease. In simple words, a vaccine is a biological preparation that stimulates immunity of the body over certain diseases. And, Vaccines have provided relief towards various deadly pandemics over the decades. Currently, everyone is living with one such pandemic is “NOVEL CORONA VIRUS”.
Coronavirus is most probably called COVID-19 or nCoV means the novel coronavirus discovered in 2019. From 2019 till now, this deadly virus has entered into three waves of destruction with numerous mutating forms regularly. Corona is an infectious disease and spreads from the droplets of saliva, sneezing, cough, close contact with the infected, etc. Corona is affecting globally from every continent to every country and every age group, by preferring the comprised immune bodies first. It is taking new forms like alpha, beta, gamma, and delta rapidly that it is becoming more difficult to contain this pandemic. So, the WHO and all Health Ministries have decided to put an end to this fatal monster with a solution of vaccines.
The most important and worth doing a thing to control any disease is to get complete knowledge about its transmission and to start following it on our own. For Corona, there are only three simple steps to control it:-
- Always mask on,
- Sanitizing hands frequently, and
- Keeping a safe distance with everyone.
Although this will not cure the disease surely it will provide great help in stopping the chain of the virus to spread further.
A vaccine’s general function is to trigger the body’s immune system against the disease-causing agents to generate antibodies. World Health Organization and many companies are working day and night to prepare an effective vaccine for Coronavirus. Vaccine preparation takes a very long time to come into action; from extraction to preparation to phase trials, to clinical trials, to human trials, and finally to action. Vaccines work efficiently towards the disease. The main aim of vaccines is not only to trigger the immune system but also to store some of the antibodies produced during the first vaccination as memory cells so that the body is always ready to fight for the next attack and not waiting for the vaccine to take action. There are so many vaccines prepared, some are under process across the globe of which the top 10 most efficient vaccines for COVID-19 are listed below;
- Comirnaty BNT162b2.
- Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine mRNA-1273.
- Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (AZD 1222).
- Sputnik V Vaccine.
- Sputnik Light.
- CoronaVac.
- EpiVacCorona.
- Covaxin (BBV152).
- CoviVac.
- Soberana 02.
The top 10 vaccines for COVID-19 are described below:
1. Comirnaty BNT162b2:
Comirnaty initially named BNT 162b2 is the first Vaccine prepared by modifying the mRNA’s nucleoside. It has been developed multi-nationally by companies of Pfizer, and BioNTech whereas Fosun Pharma has given license to Comirnaty in China.
DOSAGE:- Comirnaty Vaccine is administered in two doses with 21 days between the doses.
EFFICIENCY:- The readings printed in the NEJM disclosed that the Moderna and Pfizer Vaccines have approximately 91% of efficiency towards the fully vaccinated and 81% efficiency for partially vaccinated.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Aruba
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Caribbean
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- European Union
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- India
- Iraq
- Israel
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Liechtenstein
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Palestine
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- UAE
- UK
- US (16 and older)
- Vatican City
- Vietnam
This Vaccine is delivered intra-muscularly which means deep inside the muscles for rapid absorption of injection. The function of this Vaccine is to trigger the immune response towards the SARS-CoV-2 by mutating a full spike protein of the virus.
The common side effects of the Comirnaty Vaccine:
- Pain or swelling at the injection site,
- tiredness,
- headache,
- muscle pain,
- fever and chills, and joint pain.
The less common side effects are:
- redness at the injection site,
- nausea,
- enlarged lymph nodes,
- feeling unwell,
- pain in the limb,
- insomnia,
- Itching at the injection site.
2. Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine mRNA-1273:
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, formerly called mRNA -1273. It was manufactured by Moderna, BARDA, and NIAID based on the findings of associated coronaviruses. The other names of this vaccine are; Elasomeran in Australia, TAK-919 in Japan, and Spikevax in Europe.
DOSAGE:- Moderna Vaccine is a two doses vaccine injected within a gap of 28 days apart.
EFFICIENCY:- The evaluations published in the CDC’s MMWR displayed that the Moderna Vaccine is 80% efficient after the 14 days of first shot and 91% efficient after the 14 days of second shot.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Brazil
- Botswana
- Canada
- Colombia
- European Union
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Japan
- Liechtenstein
- Maldives
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Norway
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United Kingdom
- UAE
- United States
- Vietnam
The most common side effects of Moderna Vaccine are as follows:
- Pain,
- swelling, or redness at the injection site,
- Tiredness,
- Headache,
- Muscle or joint aches,
- Chills,
- Nausea and vomiting,
- Underarm swelling,
- Fever.
3. Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (AZD 1222): also known as Vaxzevira and Covishield:
COVID-19 Vaccine Astra-Zeneca is produced at the University of Oxford by the Astra-Zeneca and the Oxford Vaccine Group using a Chimpanzee’s adenovirus. In India, this Vaccine is often produced mutually by the Serum Institute of India and Astra-Zeneca and further sold by the name of Covishield.
DOSAGE:- Covishield injected in two doses with a gap of 4-12 weeks, and the antibody generation starts after the second or third booster dose of 46 weeks apart.
EFFICIENCY:- According to the data from the studies of the Botucatu in Brazil, the AstraZeneca Vaccine showed 71 % efficacy in symptomatic cases after the first dose.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Cambodia
- Caribbean
- Chile
- Colombia
- Congo
- Costa Rica
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Eswatani
- Ethiopia
- European Union
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Greenland
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hungary (SII)
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ivory Coast
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor Leste
- Tonga, Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- UK
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- WHO (Oxford; SII/SK)
- Yemen
- Zambia.
The most common side effects of the Astra-Zeneca Vaccine are as follows:
- Pain or tenderness at the injection site,
- Headache,
- Tiredness,
- Muscle or joint aches,
- Fever,
- Chills,
- Nausea.
4. Sputnik V Vaccine:
Sputnik V Vaccine was developed in Russia in the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Health Ministry of the Russian Federation. It was manufactured using a heterological recombinant adenovirus (rAd26 and rAd5), which was formerly called Gam-COVID-Vac).
DOSAGE:- Sputnik V is delivered in two doses with 21 days of the gap; however, the gap can be of 3 months also as prescribed by the Gamaleya representative.
EFFICIENCY:- The records published in the Lancet showed that the Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6% efficient based on the phase 3 trials results of 21,977 candidates.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Congo
- Djibouti
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Republika Srpska
- Russia (Sputnik Light)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela
- Zimbabwe.
The most common side effects of Sputnik V are as follows:
- Flu-like illness,
- headache,
- fatigue,
- Injection-site reactions.
5. Sputnik Light:
Sputnik Light Vaccine has been developed in Russia by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Health Ministry of the Russian Federation. It was manufactured using a heterological recombinant adenovirus and is the first component to use the Ad26 vector of Gamaleya’s Sputnik V Vaccine.
DOSAGE:- Sputnik Light is first single-dose Vaccine administered only in a single shot and it can also be given as a third booster dose for the Sputnik V patients.
EFFICIENCY:- According to the records of the Gamaleya, the Sputnik Light Vaccine is 79.4 % efficient.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Angola
- Bahrain
- Congo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Nicaragua
- Palestine
- Russia
- Venezuela.
The side effects of Sputnik Light Vaccine: are similar to those of Sputnik V; they are as follows:
- mild pain at the injection site,
- fever,
- headaches,
- fatigue, and
- muscle aches.
6. CoronaVac:
CoronaVac, previously called PiCoVacc is the Vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech China-based Biotechnology Company. It is a formalin-inactivated and alum-adjuvanted vaccine.
DOSAGE:- It is administered in two doses with 14-28 days of the waiting period.
EFFICIENCY:- The evaluation of the EUL according to the WHO’s analysis the CoronaVac Vaccine is 51 % efficient in preventing symptomatic and severe COVID-19 patients and hospitalization and in 100% efficient in vaccinated.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Cambodia
- China
- Chile
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Georgia
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Laos
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Zimbabwe
The side effects of this vaccine are as follows:
- Injection-site pain,
- fatigue, diarrhoea, and
- Muscle pain.
7. EpiVacCorona:
The Vaccine developed by the Federal Budgetary Research Institution State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology in Russia. It is a peptide-based Vaccine for COVID-19 called EpiVacCorona.
DOSAGE:- This Vaccine is injected intramuscularly in two shots between 21-28 days apart.
EFFICIENCY:- According to the sayings of The head of the zoonotic diseases and flu department with the Russian State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector, the EpiVacCorona Vaccine is efficient in generating immunity after a month of vaccination in the candidates but the official data of trials is yet to be released.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Belarus
- Russia
- Turkmenistan
The side effects of this EpiVacCorona Vaccine are not any as of now but, common ones are similar for every COVID-19 Vaccines.
8. Covaxin (BBV152):
Covaxin BBV152 is the first inactivated Vaccine of India developed jointly by Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology of India. For International markets US and Canada, A US-based Company, Ocugen, is teaming with Bharat Biotech as a co-developer for Covaxin. The adjuvant of this Covaxin was produced by ViroVax in association with the Adjutant Development Program of NIAID’s.
DOSAGE:- The Covaxin is administered in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm in two doses with a gap of four weeks.
EFFICIENCY:- According to the Ocugen’s words, the Covaxin has an efficacy of 77.8% and is 93.4 % efficient in preventing severe COVID-19 in the phase 3 candidates. Whereas ICMR and Bharat Biotech said that the Covaxin is 78% efficient overall and is 100% effective against the severe COVID-19 after the results of the phase 3 trial candidates in April.
The countries that permitted the approval of use of this vaccine are listed as follows:
- Botswana
- Estonia
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- India
- Iran
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Venezuela
- Zimbabwe
The side effects associated with the Covaxin are as follows:
- Pain,
- swelling,
- redness, and
- itching at the injection site,
- as well as body ache,
- weakness,
- stiffness,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- fever,
- malaise, and
- headache.
9. CoviVac:
CoviVac is another Vaccine developed by Russia. It is an inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine manufactured by the Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune and Biological Products. Till now, only Russia has approved the use of this CoviVac Vaccine.
DOSAGE:- The CoviVac Vaccine is delivered as intramuscular injections in two doses within 28 days of gap.
EFFICIENCY:- This Vaccine was approved for its use on 20th February in Russia, the trial results are yet to be disclosed.
No adverse side effects are seen under this Vaccine but the common symptoms are the same as every other COVID Vaccine.
10. Soberana 02:
Soberana is a Conjugate type of Vaccine developed by the Finlay Institute of Vaccines in Cuba. For its phase 2 and 3 trials, The Pasteur Institute of Iran has also helped her.
DOSAGE:- This Vaccine is given in two doses within 28 days period.
The countries Cuba and Iran approved the use of the Soberana 02 Vaccine.
EFFICIENCY:- The readings of the BioCubaFarma states that the Soberana vaccine’s efficacy is 91.2% recorded in Finlay.
The common side effects of the Soberana 02 Vaccine include injection
- site pain,
- inflammation at the injection site, and
- general discomfort.
But remember only vaccination can take control of this pandemic and will make our lives like before. So, everyone should be vaccinated without fail and win this fight together to save us.
“THE DELTA VARIANT OF COVID-19 IS CLEARLY GOING TO BE THE THIRD WAVE. IF YOU DECIDE TO NOT GET VACCINATED, THE VIRUS WILL STILL FIND YOU”.