Nov 27, 2020
Contributor: Rachael Duncan, PharmD
Educational Pearls:
- ED
visits nationwide declined by 42% in April 2020 compared to the
same time in 2019 largely due to the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The biggest decline was seen in pediatrics less than 14, women and
emerging COVID hotspots like the Northeast.
- In
recent weeks, this trend has reversed, showing a record-breaking
number of COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. As hospitals
reach capacity, critically ill COVID patients are being held in the
ED until an inpatient bed becomes available.
- A new
mRNA vaccine has promising preliminary trial results to help end
the COVID-19 pandemic.
- While
traditional vaccines contain purified proteins or weakened viruses,
the mRNA vaccine is genetic material that is coded within the human
body to make the viral protein.
- The
mRNA vaccine codes for the critical fragment of the viral protein
without causing disease and leads to the production of powerful
antibodies.
- Although synthetic mRNA is genetic material, it
cannot be passed on to further generations.
- mRNA
vaccines are much faster to develop and could potentially provide a
more efficient process for developing future vaccines
- Cold
temperatures are currently needed to maintain the stability of the
mRNA which has posed a challenge to the viability of the vaccines.
However, developments are underway to overcome this
hurdle.
References:
A Trial Investigating the Safety
and Effects of Four BNT162 Vaccines Against COVID-2019 in Healthy
Adults - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov. Clinicaltrials.gov.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04380701. Published 2020.
Accessed November 25, 2020.
Karikó K, Buckstein M, Ni H,
Weissman D. Suppression of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors:
the impact of nucleoside modification and the evolutionary origin
of RNA. Immunity. 2005;23(2):165-175.
doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2005.06.008
Safety and Immunogenicity Study
of 2019-nCoV Vaccine (mRNA-1273) for Prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2
Infection (COVID-19) - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov.
Clinicaltrials.gov.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04283461. Published 2020.
Accessed November 25, 2020.
Schlake T, Thess A,
Fotin-Mleczek M, Kallen KJ. Developing mRNA-vaccine
technologies. RNA
Biol.
2012;9(11):1319-1330. doi:10.4161/rna.22269
Wolff JA, Malone RW, Williams P,
et al. Direct gene transfer into mouse muscle in
vivo. Science. 1990;247(4949 Pt 1):1465-1468.
doi:10.1126/science.1690918
Summarized by Emily Mack
OMSIII | Edited by Mason Tuttle