The advanced COVID-19 experimental vaccine elicits an immune response in all age groups in the study, its creators say. This gives scientists and the public hope that vaccination will make it possible to protect the most vulnerable, older people.

At this point, neither the University of Oxford nor the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will publish evidence of the application – the data will be submitted for publication as an academic article. However, AstraZeneca has already introduced the basic findings of the AZD1222 study of the experimental vaccine to narrow academic circles.

The second phase of the study showed that the vaccine was as successful in producing antibodies in young people over the age of 56 and in some over 70s as it was in young people. Protecting older people in the process of creating vaccines is a key issue facing scientists. The body’s immunity and ability to fight any virus decreases with age. This is why most of the victims of COVID-19 are obsolete people.

Research data also indicate that elderly volunteers showed fewer side effects (scientists call it “reactogenicity”), which was manifested by a slight rise in body temperature and vaccinated hand pain.

“It is to be hoped that the immunogenic responses were similar in the elderly and young, and the reactogenicity in the elderly, where the acute course of COVID-19 is more frequent – less. These results serve as evidence of the safety and immunogenicity of the AZD1222 vaccine,”

Despite this optimistic news, many believe that the vaccine does not provide complete protection. In their view, it is more likely that it will reduce the severity of the disease, which will reduce hospitalization and mortality statistics. There is an expectation that vaccine-induced protection will not be maintained for a long time and repeated vaccinations will be required.

AstraZeneca hopes that a limited number of vaccines will be available in the coming months.