Good morning dear friends,

I have been asked severally, of the available COVID vaccines which of them I will choose to have if offered the opportunity.

In answering this question, let me state from the outset the question is about my personal preference. But my choice will be based on relative efficacy, safety and availability of the vaccines.

I have absolutely no doubt the Pfizer vaccine will be my number one choice. I am not choosing it because of the underlying technology which is: introducing a genetic material known as messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) into my body. mRNA then requests my body to produce the spike protein of the coronavirus.

When the spike protein is produced by my body, it mimics the virus. Therefore, the soldiers in my body called antibodies are produced and released to fight them.

But, because it was not the actual virus, the soldiers/antibodies produced in my body ‘take a pill chill’, relax and stay on guard duties awaiting the actual virus which causes the coronavirus disease TO FIGHT AND DEVOUR.

And if by any means the virus gets into my body, these readily available soldiers/antibodies now fights them aggressively and defeats them.

Efficacy

It has been documented that, “two weeks after the second dose, the [Pfizer] vaccine showed a spectacular efficacy of 95%.”

This also means it is important to take the first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine because, “the most formidable weapons of the immune arsenal — appear to increase dramatically only after the second dose.”

Safety

I have, so far, not mentioned SAFETY as the reason I will choose the Pfizer vaccine over others. This is because in terms of SAFETY, based on evidence, there is not much to choose from between the Pfizer and the AstraZeneca vaccines. Both are considerably SAFE.

However, the AstraZeneca vaccine is not as efficacious as the Pfizer vaccine (95%).

And the AstraZeneca vaccine has proven not to protect against the Coronavirus strain which was isolated in South Africa. This is the ONLY reason I WILL OPT FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE if I have the choice.

Let me repeat, both have acceptable safety profiles.

And let me add that, the AstraZeneca vaccine is derived from known technology which has proven successful over the years – “A harmless chimp cold virus [is] tweaked so that it carries genetic material containing the instructions for the spike protein.”

This spike protein will then cause the body to produce the soldiers/antibodies.

Conclusion

I am not being ungrateful to GAVI for the COVAX initiative which seeks to vaccinate 20% of the poorest nations in the world. Kudos GAVI.

In response to questions directed at me, I am only stating my preference based on science (proven efficacy) and availability.

In the absence of the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine is not a bad option. It is a second best approximation to my ideal COVID-19 vaccine.

I strongly urge Government and the private sector to also pursue the Pfizer vaccine. The cold chain limitation is being eased favourably from the negative 70s upwards. That is good news! And there are potable cooling systems which can make it possible if we work closely with big pharma.

Let us also pursue compulsory licensing and parallel importation; for it is allowed under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) legal agreement between member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). After all, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Nigerian-American is the current Director general of the WTO.

And let me add, please stop the fabrications and lies about vaccines. You have probably accepted vaccines such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and many others for your child. Why demonise vaccines now?

Stay Safe!
PureHealth

The writer, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah is a Health Policy Planning & Financing Analyst

February 25, 2021