The coronavirus vaccine developed by Astrazeneca and the University of Oxford causes an immune response to the oldest, particularly at risk, according to published results, this Thursday, November 19, 2020.
These results confirm announcements already made before but however relate to a less advanced development stage (known as phase 2) than those of BionTech/Pfizer and Moderna manufacturers.
According to the results of phase 2 of the Astrazeneca/University of Oxford project, published today by the medical journal The Lancet, the vaccine causes the oldest subjects (over 56 years) an immune response identical to that which it triggers in the youngest (18 to 55 years).
Researchers, however, note a limit to their study. The average age in the older participants’ group was 73 to 74 and few of them had health problems. They are therefore not representative of the entire elderly.
In the meantime, these results must therefore be confirmed within a wider sample of volunteers, including the elderly suffering from health problems. Phase 3 trials currently underway for this vaccine, which relate to thousands of people will aim to provide a clear response to the effectiveness of the vaccine.
