A growing number of mixed COVID-19 vaccine trials are underway in various countries. Immunity is increasing, but its effectiveness and side effects are still being studied in depth.
With the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutating rapidly, vaccine mixing is considered a solution. However, this requires in-depth study.
Various research institutions, laboratories and medical faculties in various countries are testing the mixture of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. Recent research was conducted in the UK and Germany.
Reported by Nature, the results of the research on Monday (5/7/2021) showed that patients given a mixture of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines had better results than those given only AstraZeneca or Pfizer, in two injections. This opens up the possibility of trying other vaccine combinations.
"People can now be more confident in the idea of mixing and matching," said immunologist Leif Erik Sander at Charite University Hospital Berlin, Germany.
Another research was conducted for the first time at the Carlos III Institute in Marid, Spain entitled the CombiVacS Trial in May 2021. Patients were given the first injection of AstraZeneca, then the second injection of Pfizer. The result is a strong immune response.
A second study conducted by Saarland University in Hamburg, Germany, produced similar answers. A trial in the UK was conducted on 25 June 2021, called the Com-CoV Study, but the sample was small.
Martina Sester, an immunologist at Saarland University, says AstraZeneca uses adenoviruses or harmless viruses. While Pfizer uses RNA. The combination of the two becomes a better antibody.
"This is a combination that combines the best of both," Sander said.
The only problem is ensuring the safety of this mixed vaccine method. The challenge for scientists is how to conduct these experiments with more samples. Because, the amount of trials that have been done is not enough to measure the effectiveness and study the side effects.
In the Com-CoV study there were severe side effects, while in the Berlin study, there were no serious side effects. The time interval between two vaccine injections is also not uniform, which is thought to affect side effects.
Oxford vaccine researcher Matthew Snape says it is too early to conclude that mixed vaccines could be the official method for a COVID-19 vaccine. For now, two injections with the same vaccine are still the main method. More data is needed to make sure this method is safe.
Meanwhile, Com-CoV continues its research by combining AstraZeneca or Pfizer in the first injection with Novavax and Moderna for the second injection. Meanwhile, the Philippines is trying Sinovac with 6 other vaccines in the country. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca and Gamaleya are also testing a mixture of AstraZeneca and Sputnik V.
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