BCG jabs mean you are six times less likely to get coronavirus, study finds - Telegraph

[Bilal Raza]

Coronavirus death rates are almost six times lower in countries with a widespread vaccination programme involving the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) jab, a new study has found.

The BCG vaccine gives immunity to tuberculosis, but mass vaccination was dropped in the UK in 2005 when rates of the lung infection dropped.

Yet US-based experts now think the vaccine could improve immune systems and protect people from infection.

New research, which is yet to be peer reviewed, suggests that countries with widespread BCG vaccination programmes have much lower rates of the coronavirus than nations without.

Looking at the mortality per one million residents of each country with sufficient data, the researchers made an estimate on the coronavirus fatality rate from the top 50 countries reporting highest case events.

Researchers factored in a nation's economic status as well as its elderly population, factors which could distort the overall picture of death rates.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health experts said in their paper: "The intriguing observation of a significant association between BCG use and lower Covid-19-attributable mortality remained discernable.

“While mortality attributable to Covid-19 has devastated global health systems and economies, striking regional differences have been observed.

“Covid-19-attributable mortality among BCG-using countries was 5.8 times lower than in non BCG-using countries.”

The paper was published on the online archive MedRxiv rather than an academic journal as it has not yet been peer-reviewed by other academics.

The research comes as others around the world launch trials investigating the possible benefits of BCG vaccination amid the coronavirus pandemic.

One team in Australia is trialing whether the vaccination will protect against Covid-19 or reduce severity or Covid-19 in healthcare workers.

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne fast-tracking human studies in order to find a quick solution to protect those on the frontline of the pandemic.

It is hoped that the vaccine will boost the immune systems of health workers, who are currently only protected by PPE.

Researchers from the institute said: “The Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine is designed to protect against tuberculosis.

“However it also boosts immunity to protect against other infections.

“The purpose of the BRACE trial is to find out whether BCG vaccination protects against Covid-19 or reduces severity or Covid-19 in Australian healthcare workers.”

It is thought around 4,000 healthcare workers will participate in the six-month trial.

BCG jabs mean you are six times less likely to get coronavirus, study finds

New research suggests that countries with widespread tuberculosis vaccination programmes have much lower rates of the Covid-19 virus

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[ILUIK]

Coronavirus death rates are almost six times lower in countries with a widespread vaccination programme involving the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) jab, a new study has found.

The BCG vaccine gives immunity to tuberculosis, but mass vaccination was dropped in the UK in 2005 when rates of the lung infection dropped.

it does make sense that BCG could somehow be protective because looking at the spread of covid19 and world map you will see the malaria prevalent countries are not badly affected or the mortality rate is very low whilst the death rates are far too high in the west where BCG isnt routinely done after birth-

one thing however isn't supporting this theory that children in the west haven't been affected as much and mortality isn't high- these children in west havent had BCD done as we have it in underdeveloped world like Asia ans Africa- It does take some time for the BCG to given you protection against TB after innoculation.

 

[RajaRawal111]

it does make sense that BCG could somehow be protective because looking at the spread of covid19 and world map you will see the malaria prevalent countries are not badly affected or the mortality rate is very low whilst the death rates are far too high in the west where BCG isnt routinely done after birth-

one thing however isn't supporting this theory that children in the west haven't been affected as much and mortality isn't high- these children in west havent had BCD done as we have it in underdeveloped world like Asia ans Africa- It does take some time for the BCG to given you protection against TB after innoculation.

You are right - It definitely makes sense. Following is the map of countries with Active BCG program. It looks like a Covid 19 Map now

Map displaying BCG vaccination policy by country.
A: The country currently has universal BCG vaccination program.
B: The country used to recommend BCG vaccination for everyone, but currently does not. C: The country never had universal BCG vaccination programs.

 

[Allama G]

In today's press conference by CM Sindh, he clearly mentioned that almost 300 cases of unknown deaths were brought to hospitals only in Karachi and they might be due to Coronavirus. If you add this to the current number, we are on the same trajectory as Italy or US.

 

[RajaRawal111]

In today's press conference by CM Sindh, he clearly mentioned that almost 300 cases of unknown deaths were brought to hospitals only in Karachi and they might be due to Coronavirus. If you add this to the current number, we are on the same trajectory as Italy or US.

That is not a right approach at all.
Statistically, for poor countries with lesser testing rate, you have to look at the increased death rate over the normal mortality rate.

 

[ILUIK]

In today's press conference by CM Sindh, he clearly mentioned that almost 300 cases of unknown deaths were brought to hospitals only in Karachi and they might be due to Coronavirus. If you add this to the current number, we are on the same trajectory as Italy or US.

we dont know the incidence of corona.
untill we have a spot blood test to quickly test and tell us
1-the person tested has an active infection
2-the person tested has already gone through the infection

we can not say anything abt the mortality rate, i heard 400 dead bodies were collected by EDHI in prev 24 hrs but dont know what was the cause though, that has been something that stressed out the prov cm/ppp IN SINDH WORRYING ABT CORONA

 

[Allama G]

we dont know the incidence of corona.
untill we have a spot blood test to quickly test and tell us
1-the person tested has an active infection
2-the person tested has already gone through the infection

we can not say anything abt the mortality rate, i heard 400 dead bodies were collected by EDHI in prev 24 hrs but dont know what was the cause though, that has been something that stressed out the prov cm/ppp IN SINDH WORRYING ABT CORONA

Precautions better than prevention. Govt should at least make this a compulsory req to wear faceamask, otherwise keep inside ur house

 

[ILUIK]

Precautions better than prevention. Govt should at least make this a compulsory req to wear faceamask, otherwise keep inside ur house

DONT THINK wearing a simple face mask can protect until its N95.
its helps more if a covid 19 test positive with cough wears a mask.

 

[jigrot]

DONT THINK wearing a simple face mask can protect until its N95.
its helps more if a covid 19 test positive with cough wears a mask.

Mask is important , N95 is the best but others help

 

[ILUIK]

Mask is important , N95 is the best but others help

ok sir.

 

[Masud Javed]

I hope this is the case

thats the only miracle that can save Pakistan

 

[arafay]

In today's press conference by CM Sindh, he clearly mentioned that almost 300 cases of unknown deaths were brought to hospitals only in Karachi and they might be due to Coronavirus. If you add this to the current number, we are on the same trajectory as Italy or US.

Why doesnt he test those dead bodies instead of crying crocodile tears. Fact is that CM wants to hide the number of cases to avoid media, army and public backlash.

 

[ILUIK]

Why doesnt he test those dead bodies instead of crying crocodile tears. Fact is that CM wants to hide the number of cases to avoid media, army and public backlash.

hahaha.

بھائی ان لوگوں نے فرضی ٹیسٹ کر کے پیسے ہضم کر لئے ہونگے, پتا بعد مے چلے گا جب بل بنا کے پیسے کیش
کرانے ہوں
بغیرتوں کا کوئی عتبار نہیں- یہ گدھ کے ذات والے ہیں, یہود سے بد تر ppp

 

[Allama G]

Why doesnt he test those dead bodies instead of crying crocodile tears. Fact is that CM wants to hide the number of cases to avoid media, army and public backlash.

I agreed, they should test. Or may be they already tested because the CM was saying that I have info which I cannot share with you but it is very critical.

 

[Vitamin_C]

Children being immune might have nothing to with BCG it could just be the way the virus operates it is less likely to cause harm to younger people in general regardless of immune system.

one thing however isn't supporting this theory that children in the west haven't been affected as much and mortality isn't high- these children in west havent had BCD done as we have it in underdeveloped world like Asia ans Africa- It does take some time for the BCG to given you protection against TB after innoculation.

 

[Vitamin_C]

If you study the individual BCG programs more closely you will see that certain countries did not take their policy very seriously like Iran during Shah's reign BCG was not provided even though Iran had a policy for it.

China also was careless with implementing BCG before 1970s. Japanese and Soviet strains of BCG were the most effective ones and you can see the difference in East Germany and Eastern Europe compared to Western Europe.

You are right - It definitely makes sense. Following is the map of countries with Active BCG program. It looks like a Covid 19 Map now

Map displaying BCG vaccination policy by country.
A: The country currently has universal BCG vaccination program.
B: The country used to recommend BCG vaccination for everyone, but currently does not. C: The country never had universal BCG vaccination programs.

 

[Vitamin_C]

Pakistan is testing 30 times fewer people than US. We might have over 100,000 cases but we don't know because we are not testing enough people.

Even UAE has done 10 times more tests than Pakistan even though they have a tiny population.

In today's press conference by CM Sindh, he clearly mentioned that almost 300 cases of unknown deaths were brought to hospitals only in Karachi and they might be due to Coronavirus. If you add this to the current number, we are on the same trajectory as Italy or US.

 

[Vitamin_C]

There is shortage of masks and if we have any n95s they should be donated to hospitals because they are facing shortage and they need it more than general population does.

No one should be walking around wearing n95 they should all be donated to hospitals.

Precautions better than prevention. Govt should at least make this a compulsory req to wear faceamask, otherwise keep inside ur house