By Rishard Khan
December 20, 2021 – guardian.co.tt
The Chinese Embassy, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the St Augustine Medical Laboratory (STAML), have all condemned an Express newspaper article [Putting vaccines to the test] that challenged the efficacy of the Sinopharm vaccine.
The article, published in the newspaper’s Sunday edition, implied the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is ineffective at generating immunity against the disease.
Four titer antibody tests done by STAML were used as part of a report which sought to compare antibody levels between people vaccinated with Sinopharm and AstraZeneca. The report has since garnered heavy criticism.
Full Article : guardian.co.tt
Sinopharm Slams Express Report
China Sinopharm International Corporation has joined in condemning an investigative report published in the Sunday Express which implied its COVID-19 vaccine was not able to generate enough antibodies to prevent severe disease.
Much ado about nothing. It is an established fact that the Sinopharm is less effective than the Pfizer and the Moderna.
The Express report did not challenge the efficacy of the vaccine . It simply pointed out that based on the findings of the testing of four patients the Sinopharm provided less protection against severe disease.
The Chinese seem to be overly sensitive about whatever they produce as they attempt to assert world superiority.
Why is the Prime Minister of T&T buying into that propaganda?
He seems overly sensitive about his relationship with China.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/covid-vaccine-front-runner-held-back-by-china-s-spat-with-canada-1.1488024
This is how the Chinese operate!
Moderna’s Third Dose Boosts Antibodies Against Omicron
A third dose of Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine increased antibody levels against the omicron variant, results the company described as reassuring while it works on a shot tailored to the new strain.
New Zealand links death to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: ‘it remains safer to be vaccinated’
Health authorities in New Zealand have said they believe a 26-year-old man’s death is connected to a side effect from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. A preliminary postmortem analysis indicated that the probable cause of the man’s death was myocarditis, which is a rare side effect of the vaccine that causes the heart muscle wall to become inflamed, according to Bloomberg.
Prof Christine Carrington, UWI professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology
For those interested:
1) A study sample size of 4 doesn’t cut it for this type of work.
2) The immune response is way more than antibodies. There are also different types of antibodies and antibodies do more than block infection of cells.
3) We don’t know whether Ms. Ramdass’ “study” explored total antibodies, IgG antibodies only, or neutralizing antibodies.
4) Her study has no negative or positive controls.
5) No statistical analysis.
6) Scientists still do not know what level of antibodies equals what level of protection, so one person’s antibody levels being lower than another person’s doesn’t automatically tell us that one is protected against disease and the other is not.
7) One also has to distinguish among protection against any infection, against symptomatic infection, against severe disease, hospitalization, death…
8.)Antibody levels always drop over time, whether induced by infection or vaccination (any vaccine).
9) Reduction in neutralizing antibodies against Omicron compared to other variants has been observed for every vaccine tested to date ( including all of those used in T&T). While this may mean more reinfections and breakthrough infections, it does not mean that the vaccines have lost their ability to reduce risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death.
10) Different types of vaccines elicit different profiles of immune response. While one may induce very high antibody levels, another may be better at eliciting a T cell response. Where one might elicit a very narrow response, another might give a broader response, and although there will be measurable differences in individual parameters, when it comes to keeping people out of hospital and alive, with the COVID-19 vaccines we have, it is more like “six of one versus half a dozen of the other”.
11) Vaccines are not designed to prevent infection, they are designed to help you to fight an infection and thus reduce the risk of disease.
12) Given that most people in T&T received SinoPharm then (all things being equal) it is no surprise that among the (relatively few) vaccinated people who end up in hospital, a majority will have had the SinoPharm vaccine.
12) All of the approved COVID-19 vaccines work (and that is based on study samples sizes much, much greater than 4!).
Get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so. Get a booster if you are due for one.
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Crossing the line
Express Editorial: “Many of our readers have been vocal in expressing their views on the news report and we are listening and, where possible, engaging their views, including their criticism and even outrage. We accept that the controversial report required much more from us and should have been subject to greater rigour. What we do not accept, however, is the suggestion that addressing the efficacy issues of Sinopharm or any other vaccine is tantamount to committing a crime against the State or a conspiracy to destroy the national vaccination programme.”