Saptaparna Pal, Amity University Kolkata
The UK doctors have launched a clinical trial to know whether the cheap and commonly available Bacillus Calmette Guerin BCG vaccine can boost the immune system to prevent healthcare worker from getting affected by a coronavirus.
The primary goal of the vaccine is to stimulate the adaptive immune system. This being the body’s highly targeted second line of defence unleashes antibodies and T-cells to wipe out invading pathogens. In case the trial proves that BCG works against coronavirus, Campbell said it can buy the world crucial time to develop the more effective and targeted vaccine which is needed to bring the pandemic under control.
Since the pandemic has started, scientists have found evidence that BCG vaccination might help to reduce Covid19 deaths, but the results are mixed and contested.
Mihia Netea, a researcher at Radbourd University in the Netherlands, said BCG appears to train the body’s first line of defence and makes it more active against future infections. It is predicted that BCG can strengthen the initial response, to make the immune system fight back and early, so that the virus doesn’t get any chance to multiply.
The BCG trial could release preliminary results in 6-9 months. While BCG raises a specific immune response against tuberculosis TB, studies had found that the vaccine also prevents and protects against viral infections. The BCG vaccine lasts for a minimum of 15yrs and maximum 40yrs. Lastly, the BCG vaccine almost stimulates a broader immune response that helps the body keep other infections away too.
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