BCG VACCINE FOR TUBERCULOSIS MAY BE A GAMECHANGER IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19: IMMUNOLOGIST

A study indicating that the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis could help to protect against Covid-19 is “a potential game-changer” in global efforts to curb the pandemic, according to a leading immunologist. The research indicating that countries whose populations have high levels of BCG vaccination had significantly fewer Covid-19 deaths was the most significant development since the virus has spread, said Prof Luke O’Neill, who has specialised in study of the vaccine at Trinity College Dublin.

BCG vaccination poster circa 1950-1962. Image courtesy of National Library of Ireland with thanks to Katherine McSharry and Honora Faul

https://letterpile.com/memoirs/TB-a-disease-with-no-social-bounderies

While he stressed the research was largely a statistical one and so came with caveats, there was a case for authorities moving to provide a BCG vaccine top-up for everybody age over 70. “This is feasible and should be considered. It doesn’t mean we change behaviour, such as physical distancing and washing your hands,” he said.

However, children currently aged five and under in Ireland will not have the vaccine. BCG vaccine is given to protect babies against TB but Ireland has had no BCG vaccine since May 2015 and no children have been vaccinated since then, the HSE confirmed. This coincided with a vaccine shortage in Europe – stocks have become available in recent months.

Lockdown measures to help stem the spread of coronavirus could remain in place into the winter, the chair of the Health Service Executive’s expert advisory group on the pandemic has suggested.

Dr Cillian De Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory and a consultant virologist, said it was “certainly possible” that some restrictions would have to be retained until a vaccine is developed.

This could take at least six to 12 months and “people probably need to be cognisant of that”, he told RTÉ Radio One’s Saturday with Cormac Ó hEadhra.

“We will retain the restrictions as long as we can because we want to minimise the impact on our healthcare services for as long as we can,” he said.

READ MORE:

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0404/1128531-ireland-daily-figures/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/22/where-has-coronavirus-spread

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/how-does-new-coronavirus-spread-n1121856 

https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/how-is-coronavirus-spread 

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/nearly-1000-healthcare-workers-in-ireland-test-positive-for-covid-19-992168.html 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-death-chil/uk-extends-condolences-to-family-of-5-year-old-who-died-from-coronavirus-idUSKBN21M0LR 

https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2020/0402/1127962-coronavirus-world/ 

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0404/1128465-covid19-coronavirus-tracker/ 

https://www.reuters.com/news/world 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-uk-death-toll-rises-by-708-to-4313/ar-BB12abcC?li=BBoPRmx&&ocid=spartandhp 

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/restarting-ireland-when-and-how-will-we-get-back-to-normal-1.4219215

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0323/1124818-ireland-tb-epidemic-coronavirus/

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