The United States may not need the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, even if it won the approval of the drug regulations, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor, told RushHourDaily on Thursday. Vaccine, which was once praised as a milestone against the global war against the pandemic, has now been tried with questions since the end of last year, even as it has been allowed to be used by dozens of countries for emergency use.
Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Head of Medical Advisory to the White House, said the United States has a sufficient contract with other vaccine makers to vaccinate the entire population and may be enough for the falling booster shoots.
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Asked whether the United States will use the AstraZeneca vaccine dose, he said, “it still exists in the air; my general feeling is that considering the contractual relationship that we have with several companies, that we have enough vaccines to meet all our needs without applying AstraZeneca.”
Late last year, Oxford drug makers and universities published data from previous trials with two different efficacy readings due to dose errors. Then in March, more than a dozen countries temporarily suspend the use of AstraZeneca vaccines after the report relates it with rare blood clotting disorders.
Also, in March, an American health agency said data from the company provides an incomplete picture of its efficacy. A few days later, the vaccine maker published the results showing diminished, though strong, efficacy. Fauci said, “If you see the numbers (dosage) that we will get, the amount you can get from J & J, from Novavaks from Modern if we contract more, chances are we can handle what we need but I don’t can say for sure. “
