The COVID pandemic is not yet dealt with and we have already heard about a prospective new pandemic that is likely to strike any day and could be deadlier. For a long time, way before COVID struck, certain scientists had sounded the warning bells, they had prophesied that a series of killer diseases are lurking all around us and the situation could spiral into a pandemic any minute. But adequate measures were not taken.
However, the worldwide COVID mayhem has awakened the authorities. WHO has announced that it is researching similar diseases that have the potential to cause worldwide disaster.
WHO has coined the term Disease X to denote any pathogen that can trigger the next pandemic. Scientists have found a dangerous number of viruses and pathogens, all of which can snowball into a pandemic. In fact, Disease X information also incorporates viruses that have not been identified yet.
WHO is coming up with an action plan with elaborate instructions on how to deal with such a scenario in order to prevent a massive death toll. The mistake the world made with COVID must not be repeated.
Viruses have a dangerous ability to mutate rapidly and take on new forms. This evolution sometimes happens so fast that medicinal science and our immunities cannot keep up. So a new kind of virus may appear and start infecting people rapidly. Or older viruses such as the ones that caused the Nipah epidemic or the deadly Ebola disease can make a come-back and be the Disease X. Or, it could be a variation of the ever-present Influenza virus which was responsible for the Spanish flu global pandemic.
The frontrunner in the list of possible viruses that can trigger Disease X is bird flu. Bird flu has already shown up in India. Bird flu also called avian influenza, is a viral infection that can infect not only birds but also humans and other animals. Most forms of the virus are restricted to birds. H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or “bird flu”). Human cases of H5N1 avian influenza occur occasionally, but it is difficult to transmit the infection from person to person. But evolution can form new subtypes of bird flu that can easily make interspecies jumps and infect humans. But evolution can form new subtypes of bird flu that can easily make interspecies jumps and infect humans.
“SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-SARS-CoV) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-MERS-CoV) are subtypes of Coronaviruses (CoVs). It gets triggered by the same influenza virus. And for the same reasons as COVID, these 2 can become the next Disease X. They are both highly contagious and spread easily from one human to multiple persons.
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever is another influenza-caused infection. It has a high mortality rate and like bird flu and swine flu can infect humans through contact with ticks and livestock animals such as cattle, horses, sheep, and fur-bearing animals.
Similarly, the Nipah virus and Henipavirus, Rift Valley Fever, Lassa Fever, and Zika, or their mutated versions could be Disease X.
Scientists are not discounting the possibility that Disease X could be triggered by a hybrid virus. For example, pigs can be infected by both bird flu and swine fly through interspecies jumps. In the body of a pig, the two viruses can combine and form a new virus that overcomes the weaknesses of the individual viruses and as a hybrid virus becomes more invincible.
Finally, the threat could come from COVID itself. If two diametrically different strains of COVID combine, then we could have new and difficult-to-defeat Disease X.
Disease X symptoms would depend on which subtype of the influenza virus is causing the disease. A few common Disease X symptoms might include-
Only with the passage of time will we know what Disease X will shape up to be. But rest assured that the authorities will spring into action at the slightest indication of a new disease. Follow their instructions and maintain personal hygiene while caring for your immunity.
The COVID-19 outbreak has shaken the global health system and economy by its roots. This epidemic is continuously spreading and showing no signs of slowing down. Vaccination could be the only effective and economical means to control or stop this pandemic. Many research institutions and pharmaceutical companies worldwide are currently involved in the development of a suitable coronavirus vaccine.
The development of coronavirus vaccines consists of the following steps e.g. exploratory, pre-clinical and clinical stages.
1. Exploratory stage – It is the basic research in the laboratory of the conceptual idea and development of an antigen against the disease against which a vaccine needs to be produced which usually takes 2–4 years’ timeframe.
2. Pre-clinical stage of development – It uses a platform of tissue-culture and animal testing to assess the safety of the vaccine. They may also suggest the safest starting dose for the next phase of research as well as the safest method of administering the covid vaccine. This stage usually takes 1–2 years and out of 100 potential candidates, 6 usually pass through this stage.
3. Clinical stages of development – Consist of at least 3 stages and the 4th post-marketing safety assessment is also mandatory. These are performed on Human volunteers.
The efforts on coronavirus vaccine began initially in China as soon as the outbreak of coronavirus erupted and then world-over as the disease was declared a pandemic by WHO. Eventually, each country got into the race of developing the vaccine to be 1st in the world to safeguard its population & have an advantage over other countries.
Conclusion:
Covid 19 pandemic is raging, even escalating. That puts pressure on all the countries to rush for a covid vaccine. Under such pressure, countries may authorize emergency use of a vaccine on specified groups without waiting for the completion of Phase III trials which could be harmful. We all have shown great patience till now, let’s continue the same by taking all the safety measures & following Government guidelines.
COVID-19 vaccine drive –
More than 80 million people in India have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and 11.1 million people have been fully vaccinated in what is the world’s biggest inoculation drive. Here’s how you can book a COVID-19 vaccine for your loved ones.
From March 1 onwards, all people above the age of 60 will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is the second phase of India’s COVID vaccination programme and it will benefit 10 crore people across the whole nation.
| Vaccine | Developed By | Country | Stage | Update |
| ChAdOx1-S | Oxford University and has been licensed to AstraZeneca | The United Kingdom and India | Phase 3 | South Africa has halted use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vaccine after evidence emerged that the vaccine did not protect clinical-trial participants from mild or moderate illness caused by the more contagious virus variant that was first seen in the country. |
| BNT162b2 Vaccine | Pfizer in collaboration with BioNTech & Fosun Pharmaceuticals | USA, Germany & China | Concluded Phase 3
U.K regulator on Dec 2 declared the vaccine for use. | FDA have described changes to the guidelines for the transportation and storage of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. They explain that it can now be transported and stored at conventional temperatures commonly found in pharmaceutical freezers for a period of up to 2 weeks. If the FDA grants Pfizer’s request, the change could significantly speed up the vaccine rollout in the United States. |
| EpiVacCorona | Vektor Centre, Novosibirsk | Russia | Given regulatory approval | A clinical trial with 40,000 volunteers to begin soon |
| mRNA-1273 Vaccine | Moderna along with NIH | United States | Phase 3 | vaccine shows ‘no specific safety concerns. Results of the first analysis to be published by end of November. Early data shows 95% efficacy. |
| Sputnik V Vaccine | Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology | Russia | Developed.
Inadequate reports to prove the Vaccine’s efficacy and safety. | Phase 3 results analysis shows 92% efficacy. Phase 2 & 3 Trials in India to begin soon. Approved in Russia. |
| Covaxin | Bharat Biotech | India | Rollout begun | The most reliable longer-term protection against coronavirus is provided through vaccination, experts said noting that the immunity afforded by the presence of antibodies might be expected to last only several months. |
| ZyCoV-D | Zydus Cadila | India | Phase 1 & 2 | Has also begun working on a COVID drug to treat patients |
| CoronaVac Vaccine | Sinovac Life Sciences Co. Ltd. (China) in collaboration with Institution Butantan | China & Brazil | Phase 3 | Trials halted in Brazil. Turkey and Indonesia begin late-phase human trials |
| Ad5-nCoV
Vaccine | CanSino Biologics company in collaboration with Beijing Institute of Biotechnology | China | Phase 3 | Russia & Pakistan to begin Phase 3 trials |
| NVX-CoV2373 | Novavax | US | Phase 3 | Signed an agreement with SII to provide vaccine to low and middle-income countries post-approval |
| Janssen COVID-19 vaccine | Johnson & Johnson | US | Phase 3 | Preparations underway to roll out 1 billion doses in 2021 |
| Sanofi COVID-19 vaccine | Sanofi Pasteur in partnership with Translate Bio & GlaxoSmithKline | US & UK | Phases 1 & 2 | Phase 3 trials to commence by end of December |
