AstraZeneca hitches ride with Russia's Sputnik in vaccine race.

[2greys]

Trials will start by the end of the year and Russia wants to produce the new vaccine jointly if it is proven to be effective, said the RDIF wealth fund, which has funded Sputnik V.

AstraZeneca said it was considering how it could assess combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin exploring with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V, whether two vaccines based on a common-cold virus could be successfully combined.

It did not give further details. However, its Russian arm said it would start to enrol adults aged 18 and older for the trial.

The cooperation between one of Britain’s most valuable listed companies and the state-backed Russian research institute highlights the pressure to develop an effective shot to fight the pandemic, which has killed over 1.5 million people.(Reuters) - AstraZeneca is to start clinical trials to test a combination of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine with Russia’s Sputnik V shot to see if this can boost the efficacy of the British drugmaker’s vaccine, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said on Friday.

uk.reuters.com/article/heal...

[Annie31]

How great is that! Boost the vaccine and help to boost relations between our two countries!

[Badbessie]

I have no issues with the safety of individual vaccines but like certain chemicals when mixed could have an explosive results.

[Oshgosh]

M sure about this,partly because of mixing potential vaccines together, perhaps I’m just over thinking it.

[2greys in reply to Oshgosh]

The immune system is quite complicated and involved. We know about B & T cells and Antibodies. Somewhere I have read that there are multiple types of Antibodies. I don't know about you but I would rather have all of the types of Antibodies not just one. It well may transpire that different vaccines produce different Antibodies.

"Antibodies could be described as the "warriors" of the immune system.

When coronavirus infects your body, antibodies attach to the spikes of the virus, blocking it from entering your cells.

But we produce many different types of antibodies - the most potent are called neutralising antibodies.

So scientists "sieve" through them to find the one that's best at sticking to the spike.

The chosen antibody is multiplied in the lab, and produced in huge quantities.

This is then given to patients, immediately boosting their immune response."

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-546...

[Oshgosh]

That’s interesting and thought provoking.Good news today,had a phone consultation with rheumatologist.@ I asked about vaccination,she said have it when it’s offered.

So I will.

That’s a weight off my mind.hope you’re ok

[2greys in reply to Oshgosh]

I feel okay thank you, other than the usual complaints. Tel. appointment with the Oncologist on Friday morning, I have a stack of questions to ask, for the first time.

[Oshgosh]

That’s the spirit. I always ask loads of questions as well .