Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => COVID-19 => Topic started by: EvaH on 18/02/2021 14:45:58

Title: How do drug companies determine if the vaccine prevents transmission?
Post by: EvaH on 18/02/2021 14:45:58

Will says:

I am lucky to have spent most of adult life in science (Chemistry) and mostly research. You define a problem and then work out a way to solve it (or not). I am intrigued as to how the drug companies can prove that their vaccines stop or reduce the transmission of the coronavirus. I accept implicitly their data on the efficacy of the jab to protect. but how on earth have they done the work to support the claims they have made with regard to reducing transmission? I am not being negative but want to know. Maybe you can point me to relevant peer-reviewed articles?

Can you help?

Title: Re: How do drug companies determine if the vaccine prevents transmission?
Post by: set fair on 18/02/2021 16:04:51

I think the main thing is to measure viral shedding, with a pcr swab test, the Ct value gives an indication of how infectious an infected individual is. Viral load is also measured, As far as I know, there isn't the data to give an accurate idea about how infectious somebody will be at ,say, 6 months after their booster and infected with a new variant. So it's still an open question.

Title: Re: How do drug companies determine if the vaccine prevents transmission?
Post by: alancalverd on 18/02/2021 16:05:21

If you protect A from receiving, you have reduced the effectiveness of B's transmission.

The only way you can reduce B's actual output of virus is to stop him sneezing until he has recovered from the infection.