Future pandemics could be more lethal than the current covid crisis – 19, warned one of the creators of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Professor Sarah Gilbert assured in the 44 Conference by Richard Dimbleby that more funds are needed for pandemics in order to prevent them from being lost progress made.
He also warned that vaccines could be less effective against the omicron variant.
In addition, Gilbert noted that people should remain cautious until more is known about it.
“This will not be the last time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods. The truth is, the next one could be worse. It could be more contagious or lethal, or both “.
” We cannot allow ourselves to reach a situation in which, after going through everything we have gone through, let us find that the enormous economic losses suffered have not led to the existence of funds destined to prepare for a pandemic “, he added.
” The progress we have made and the knowledge we have acquired they should not be lost. ”
“ We must be cautious ”
Referring to the omicron variant, he indicated that it is known that the mutations it has in the spike protein increase the transmissibility of the virus.
“But there are additional changes that can cause the antibodies generated by vaccines or by infection with other variants to be less s effective to prevent infection by (the variant) omicron ”, he specified.
“Until we know more about it, we must r cautious and take measures to stop the spread of this new variant. ”
However, Gilbert pointed out that reducing protection against covid infection – 19 and the mild version of the disease does not necessarily mean that the protection against its form is reduced more serious and death.
He also called for the rapid progress observed in the application of vaccines and medicines during the pandemic to become the norm .
There is no reason why a universal flu vaccine cannot be developed to eliminate the threat of influenza. influenza, criticized.
Creator of the most used vaccine in the world
Scientist Sarah Gilbert, who was Honored with the title of Dame on Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday earlier this year, she began designing a coronavirus vaccine in early 2020, after SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in China.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is now the most widely used worldwide, with doses shipped to more of countries.
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