The vaccine from Pfizer and the German laboratory BioNTech against COVID-19 surprised the world in 2020. Its innovative technology, which uses messenger RNA, quickly caught their attention due to its high effectiveness against the coronavirus.
The vaccine began to be applied in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2020, among people over 80 years of age and medical personnel. Since then, it has already received the go-ahead from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union and regulators from 30 other countries such as the United States, Canada and Mexico. It has even received approval for use in adolescents in some countries. This is what we know about this vaccine.
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine in Mexico
On December 11, 2020, the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) authorized the emergency use of the vaccine to prevent COVID-19.
The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell, confirmed the validation of the health agency, making Mexico the fourth country to authorize the application of the vaccine from the US-German alliance.
Until that time, only three countries had approved this immunization: the United Kingdom, Bahrain and Canada. Mexico was the first country in Latin America to authorize its use.
In May, the Foreign Minister of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, said that Pfizer would ask Cofepris for its authorization to apply its vaccine against COVID-19 to minors between 12 and 15 years old.
On Friday, June 11, the New Molecules Committee (CMN) and the Subcommittee for the Evaluation of Biotechnological Products (SEPB) of the Mexican regulator approved the expansion of emergency use for this sector. It has yet to be endorsed by the Sanitary Authorization Commission so that this age group can be included in the National Vaccination Plan.
The government of Mexico acquired 34.4 million vaccine schemes from Pfizer-BioNtech, which will cover 17.2 million people. Of these, 17 million 567,745 doses have arrived so far.
Who can get vaccinated and who can’t?
According to the WHO Immunization Advisory Expert Group (SAGE), the Pfizer-BioNTech messenger RNA vaccine against COVID-19 is safe and effective. So far, all people over 18 years of age in Mexico can be vaccinated with Pfizer.
There are some groups of the population for which vaccination with this formula is not recommended, such as people with a history of having presented any type of immediate allergic reaction to any other vaccine or injectable drug, although they leave it to their consideration.
In general, people who have an immediate allergic reaction after the first injection of the vaccine should not be given more doses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC) say that you should not be vaccinated with this biologic if you have had a severe allergic reaction – known as anaphylaxis – or an immediate allergic reaction, even if it was not serious, to any of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine ingredients, such as polyethylene glycol, should not receive a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
As a small number of patients without a history of severe allergic reactions have been reported to have developed an anaphylactic reaction after vaccination, WHO recommends that it be administered only in facilities where anaphylaxis can be treated.
What are the side effects of the Pfizer vaccine?
The CDC notes that some of the side effects can be pain, redness, or swelling in the arm where the injection was received. In the rest of the body, the expected effects can be tiredness, headache, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea.
These effects appear a day or two after receiving the vaccine and should disappear within a few days.
Does it have serious side effects?
Israel’s Health Ministry reported on June 3 that it found that a small number of cases of cardiac inflammation seen mainly in young men who received the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech in the country were likely related to their inoculation.
The study found that “there is a probable link between receiving the second dose (from Pfizer) of the vaccine and the occurrence of myocarditis among men aged 16 to 30 years,” according to a statement.
According to the findings, such a link was seen more among men aged 16 to 19 than in other age groups.
Most of the patients who experienced cardiac inflation or myocarditis did not spend more than four days in the hospital, 95% of the cases were classified as mild, according to the investigation, which was carried out by three expert teams, according to the ministry.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in late May that myocarditis after the Pfizer vaccine had not been a cause for concern because it continued to occur at a rate that normally affects the general population. He added that young men were particularly prone to the condition.
According to the CDC, reported cases of myocarditis in the United States were reported several days after vaccination against COVID-19.
The US regulator indicates that patients can resume their usual activities of daily living once their symptoms improve, but should consult with their doctor about resuming exercise or sports activities.
People who received the Pfizer vaccine should look out for symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and a feeling that the heart is racing or pounding.
What is its efficacy or effectiveness?
A single dose of Pfizer’s vaccine is 80% effective in preventing infection, according to a study published by the CDC on March 30. The two recommended doses of the vaccines are 90% effective, regardless of symptoms, the report said.
That effect was seen two weeks after the first dose in the study, conducted with 3,950 healthcare workers between December 14 and March 13.
In a study carried out with the information of the vaccinated population in Israel, the country with the greatest advance in its immunization campaign, it was found that the formula developed jointly by an American pharmacist and the German laboratory is 94% effective against cases with COVID-19 symptoms, according to published study
During the study period, the Alpha variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, circulated widely in the country.
On Monday, a study by health authorities in England noted that having received two doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech or AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccines effectively protects against hospitalization due to the Delta variant of the coronavirus, initially identified in India.
According to this research by Public Health England (PHE), taking two doses of Pfizer / BionTech protects 96% against hospitalizations due to the Delta variant, while Oxford / AstraZeneca offers an efficacy of 92%.
These are “results comparable to the efficacy of the vaccine in preventing hospitalization related to the Alpha variant”, published in December in England.
Mary Ramsay, Head of Vaccination at PHE, stressed as “absolutely vital to receive both doses as soon as they are offered to obtain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants.”
Regarding its interaction with the Beta and Gamma variants, detected in South Africa and Brazil, there is not much information yet.
Pfizer Vaccine Dosage
The vaccine should be given in two doses that should be given between 21 and 28 days apart, both the CDC and WHO advise. 12 days after the first dose a protective effect begins to develop, but full protection requires two doses.
In the event that the administration of the second dose is unintentionally delayed, that dose should be applied as soon as possible, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Currently it is recommended that people do not apply more than two doses in total.
The PfizerBioNTech vaccine is a vaccine that requires special care, as it must be stored in freezers at -70ºC, to be thawed before being applied, which will imply a challenge for the infrastructure of many low-income and middle-income countries.
With information from AFP, EFE and Reuters
