AstraZeneca manufacturing error clouds Oxford vaccine study results

People, wearing masks, walk in Istiklal street, the main shopping street in Istanbul, on Wednesday. Pic/AP

AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine. A statement on the error came days after the company and the university described the shots as "highly effective" and made no mention of why some study participants didn't receive as much vaccine in the first of two shots as expected.

In a surprise, the group of volunteers that got a lower dose seemed to be much better protected than the volunteers who got two full doses in the UK and Brazil. AstraZeneca said the vaccine appeared to be 90% effective in low-dose group and 62% effective in two full doses group. Combined, the it said the vaccine appeared 70% effective.

Oxford said some of the vials didn't have the right concentration of vaccine so some volunteers got a half dose. The manufacturing problem has been corrected, said the statement.

None of the people in the low-dose group were over 55 years old. Younger people tend to mount a stronger immune response than older people, so it could be that the youth of the participants in the low-dose group is why it looked more effective, not the size of the dose. Experts say the relatively small number of people in the low dose group makes it difficult to know if the effectiveness seen in the group is real or a statistical quirk. Some 2,741 people received a half dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose, AstraZeneca said. A total of 8,895 people received two full doses.

S Korea sees over 500 in 8 months

South Korea on Thursday recorded over 500 new cases for the first time in about eight months. With 583 new cases, the national tally reached 32,318, including 515 deaths. South Korea has been experiencing a spike in new cases since it relaxed stringent curbs last month.

Germany extends virus restrictions

Germany on Thursday recorded 15,160 deaths, a grim milestone, and added 22,368 cases overnight. Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to remain patient as the government extended the four-week restrictions imposed on November 2, through at least December 20.

Vaccinations likely by mid 2021: Africa

Vaccinations in Africa might not start until the second quarter of 2021, top public health official John Nkengasong said on Thursday. The CDC is "very encouraged" by promising news from a handful of vaccines in clinical trials, though the cold storage will be a major challenge here."

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