CanSino COVID-19 Vaccine

The CanSino COVID-19 vaccine, also known as Ad5-nCoV, is a viral vector vaccine that was authorized for emergency use in some countries worldwide to help curb the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Like the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, a viral vector vaccine uses a harmless virus to deliver a piece of genetic material into cells in the body. In the case of the CanSino vaccine, the virus is a human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) that has been modified so that it cannot replicate or cause illness in humans. The genetic material delivered by the virus instructs cells to make the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. This prompts the immune system to recognize the virus as foreign and to mount a defense against it, helping to protect against future COVID-19 infection.

The CanSino COVID-19 vaccine was developed by the Chinese military-affiliated research institute CanSino Biologics in collaboration with the Academy of Military Medical Sciences. It was authorized for emergency use by the Chinese military in June 2020, following clinical trials involving around 5,000 participants. In the trials, the vaccine was found to be around 50.4% effective in preventing COVID-19, including severe disease.

The CanSino vaccine is given as a series of two doses, with the second dose administered 28 days after the first. The vaccine has been shown to be effective in people of all ages, including those over 55, who are at an increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19.

Like all vaccines, the CanSino COVID-19 vaccine can cause side effects, although these are generally mild and short-lived. Common side effects include pain and redness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, chills, fever, and nausea. These side effects generally go away on their own within a few days.

The CanSino COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for emergency use in some countries, including China, Pakistan, Mexico, and Russia. It has been given to millions of people worldwide and has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.

The CanSino COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool in the fight against the ongoing pandemic, and it is part of a comprehensive strategy that includes testing, contact tracing, and other public health measures to slow the spread of the virus.

It’s important to mention that the CanSino COVID-19 vaccine is not a cure for COVID-19, but it can help to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from the disease. Vaccination is a crucial step in controlling the pandemic and helping to return to a sense of normalcy. It’s also important to note that the phase 3 clinical trials data of the vaccine was not published for independent review and the overall efficacy of the vaccine is not known.

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