If ongoing clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, Brazil is well positioned to have safe doses available starting next year, said Professor Cristiana Roscano of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE). of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The researcher explained that the agreements already signed between the federal government and the government of the state of São Paulo are offering opportunities to the country, but warns that work is beginning in advance to prepare the more than 30,000 public vaccination centers of the country’s unified health system. . System (SUS).
“In Brazil we have a scenario that I consider privileged, because we have bilateral mechanisms, as well as Brazil’s participation in Covax, which is a multilateral mechanism,” said the epidemiologist, who participated in the Brazilian Vaccine Society’s national vaccination initiative. “We are well placed in terms of access and opportunities, as well as genuine expectations to have some vaccines as early as 2021. “
Last month, Brazil showed its participation in the Covax consortium, organized through the WHO to ensure global access to vaccination. The fund hopes to raise $18 billion through investments from 80 self-funded countries, such as Brazil, to supply vaccines to those countries. and another 92 countries that do not have the situations to manufacture or procure doses.
Brazil’s entry will come with an investment of 444 million dollars by the country. A portfolio of nine vaccines in development is also expected to be acquired, to ensure that 10% of the population is in development by the end of 2021.
In bilateral agreements, the country took part in technological transfer deals for a vaccine from the UK and another from China. The government inked pacts with AstraZeneca and the Oxford University so that the Oswaldo Cruz nationalized the production of the vaccine, which is in the last stage of clinical trials in several countries, Brazil included. The Oxford vaccine is one of the nine vaccines making up the Covax portfolio.
The São Paulo state government and the Butantan Institute forged a deal for the testing and the transfer of technology for the domestic production of the vaccine being developed by Chinese laboratory Sinovac.
Cristina Toscano pointed out that due to the pandemic, investments in production had to be brought forward, which implies that the effectiveness of the vaccines may not be demonstrated. As with trials and regulations, the scientist said that the allocation to the arrival of vaccines at gyms will also accelerate at the local and national level, as there is a horizon for the start of vaccination in the first months of next year.
“You don’t have to wait. There’s no time to say, “Now is the time to start. “The time has come. We paint with positive and hopeful forecasts. If, indeed, in this December estimate, those vaccines turn out to be effective and safe, we believe vaccination could begin no later than February or March. We are talking about a fairly short period of time for everything to be in place for a large-scale and vitally important vaccination. “
In September, the federal government assembled a inter-ministerial work group to spearhead the acquisition and distribution of vaccines “with proven quality, efficiency, safety” against the novel coronavirus.
However, the plans have already begun, the Health Ministry’s secretary for physical condition surveillance, Arnaldo Correia, told the lower house’s external committee tasked with monitoring efforts to fight the pandemic.
The researcher acknowledges that there are still gaps that affect planning, such as the confirmation of the number of doses consistent with the treatment, the efficacy in each population group and the duration of immunity. To equip managers, the WHO has designed models to simulate scenarios that help decision-making, in particular on the equipment to prioritize to reduce mortality, the appearance of severe cases or the preservation of the fitness network, for example.
“The good news is that as far as [virus mutability] is concerned, for the COVID-19 vaccine it turns out that a new vaccination will not be mandatory due to mutations of the circulating virus,” the researcher added. adding one more challenge: “It will be a different vaccination to that of the campaigns. It probably won’t be aimed at the youngsters, but at other teams that are not the same as always. “
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