Our immune systems have responsibility for fighting biological invaders. However, they don’t always have the resources for a virus as powerful as COVID-19. Therefore, the Oxford Vaccine project aims to extend our immune systems’ toolkit. A recent intermediary trial appears to have successfully demonstrated the Oxford Vaccine produces antibodies and t-cells.
What Are the Antibodies and T-Cells the Oxford Vaccine Makes?
An antibody is a large, y-shaped protein that our immune system uses to neutralize bacteria and viruses. However, they have to be task-specific to the particular invading organism. T-cells play a role in refining our immune system’s response by identifying and killing the invader. The Oxford Vaccine appears to be able to deliver the perfect COVID-19 biological toolkit.
The recent trial of 1,077 people confirmed the Oxford Vaccine makes t-cells and antibodies potentially able to overcome the aggressive viral pandemic. More testing must follow. However, the UK government is sufficiently positive to order 100 million vaccine doses for its population of 68 million people.
The researchers genetically re-engineered a new virus that would teach human bodies to produce suitable antibodies and t-cells. First, they genetically modified the virus that gives chimpanzees common colds. Then they transferred the genetic instructions for COVID-19 to the hybrid.
How Will We Be Sure the Vaccine is 100% Safe to Use?
The Oxford method aims to ensure the vaccine cannot infect people, but is close enough to SARS-Cov-2 to be an effective biological training ground. The immune systems of the people in the intermediary test responded by producing the sought-after anti-bodies and t-cells.
However, the scientists are not yet ready to release the Oxford Vaccine for general use. They first need to apply the test vaccine to a larger population. But they are quietly confident their Oxford Vaccine will make t-cells and antibodies as successfully as before.
The larger test group being assembled will include 10,000 people in the UK, 30,000 people in the US, as well 2,000 in South Africa and 5,000 in Brazil. That’s because the UK does not have sufficient active cases itself, to finally prove the vaccine is safe and effective for mass release.
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Preview Image: Oxford Vaccine Laboratory
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