London: Thanasis Gavos
The British government’s swift decision to give the AstraZeneca vaccine to the elderly has been cited by the head of the pharmaceutical company as a possible explanation for the fewer hospitalizations due to Covid in the UK during the current outbreak of the virus compared to the rest of Europe.
Speaking on BBC radio, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Sorio noted that the United Kingdom has a “high peak” in coronavirus cases, but “not so many hospitalizations compared to Europe”.
He went on to explain that in addition to antibodies, the activation of the so-called T-lymphocytes, the body’s natural defense against the virus, is also important.
“Everyone focuses on antibodies, but you see antibodies declining over time. What remains and is very important is this reaction of the T-lymphocytes, which as soon as your virus attacks they wake up and come to the rescue and protect you. “But they need some time, so someone can be infected but then they come to the rescue and you do not go to the hospital.”
T-lymphocytes therefore count, especially as they are related to the duration of the reaction, especially in older people. “And this vaccine has been shown to activate T-lymphocytes to a higher degree in the elderly,” said Mr Sorio.
“In the United Kingdom, this vaccine was used to vaccinate the elderly, while in Europe it was initially thought that the vaccine did not work in the elderly,” an indirect reference to President Macron’s critically acclaimed statement in Britain about his “semi-efficacy”. AstraZeneca over 65 years of age.
However, Mr. Sorio noted that more studies are needed to determine whether the comparatively fewer hospitalizations in the UK are actually due to the timely administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the elderly.
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