In its third stage, Sinovac can be applied in large scale
Photo: Bruno Todeschini
14 days after receiving the initial shot of the vaccine, developed by Chinese pharmaceutical Sinovac, the first volunteers of the study came to the HSL – PUCRS’ São Lucas Hospital on Monday, Aug 24, to have the second shot. Volunteer Luciano Marini, an ICU doctor at HSL’s ICU, was welcomed by the team responsible for the study to continue with the process that began on Aug 8. In addition to having blood tests, he received a second diary to keep the records. “Since I received the first shot, I have been well. I have been able to work normally without unexpected symptoms or reactions”, he says.
The orderly from Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Fabiana Silva de Souza, also received the second shot on Monday. The process took about an hour. “It is good that I had no symptoms, and this makes me feel very confident. I hope we get positive results and they come out as soon as possible”, she adds.
Currently in its third stage of testing, the vaccine now can be applied in large scale. This stage may prove its effectiveness. HSL is one of the 12 Study Centers in Brazil, the only one in Rio Grande do Sul, certified to conduct tests and document the results with the Instituto Butantan, in São Paulo.
Out of the 9,000 people who will participate in the tests in Brazil, half will receive the vaccine, while the other half will receive placebo, that is, a substance with no effect. Because it is a “double blind” study, only pharmacists who receive and pack immunizers are able to know the materials contained in each syringe. However, the vaccine is applied by the researchers, who do not know who is receiving the actual substance. The strategy allows the analysis and comparison of the results involving the two groups, to validate its effect.
In practice, the test is expected to activate the subjects’ antibodies to the inactivated (“dead”) virus of Covid-19 that is present in the vaccine. It will also make the volunteers in question immune to the effect of the active virus if they have contact with it in the future.
Jul 1st – Instituto Butantan confirms São Lucas Hospital as one of the study centers for testing the vaccine.
Jul 10 – Instituto Butantan and São Lucas Hospital sign a contract.
Jul 20 – Applications for volunteers open.
Aug 3 – HSL receives the first doses of the vaccine.
Aug 8 – First shots are applied to selected health care professionals.
Aug 24 – Second shots are applied to selected health care professionals.
Oct / 2020 – Application of final shots at São Lucas Hospital.
Dec / 2021 – The study is expected t o be finished after monitoring the volunteers.
