A century-old vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis will be trialled on thousands of Australian doctors and nurses in an attempt to protect those on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis from infection.
The Age says Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine, also known as BCG, was first used to inoculate babies against tuberculosis in 1921 in a revolutionary move that saved the lives of millions.
Researchers at Melbourne's Murdoch Children's Research Institute are hoping they can now trigger a medical breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus with the drug.
The announcement comes two days after authorities revealed four Victorian health workers at a hospital emergency department in Melbourne's outer west had tested positive for coronavirus, fuelling fears more medics could contract the deadly virus as Australia edges closer to the peak of the pandemic, expected to hit in May or June.
Concerns for the welfare of frontline medical workers have also been intensified by widespread shortages of personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns and gloves, with some doctors and nurses told to reuse some gear to protect dwindling stocks.
The Age reports that while the BCG vaccine does not protect against the virus, research suggests it has the ability to train the immune system to respond more strongly to new infections, fight off respiratory disease and hopefully reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.
Extreme and frequent exposure to those infected by COVID-19 means medical staff are at far greater risk of contracting the virus, with thousands of healthcare workers already infected around the world.
Professor Nigel Curtis, group leader of infectious diseases at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute says the vaccine has remarkable properties and it does a lot more than just protect against tuberculosis. He says it has previously unrecognised effects on the immune system which can actually boost it and enable it to protect against numerous different infections.
The vaccine activates our innate immunity, which in human evolution is our body's first defence against new bacteria or viruses and causes it to respond faster to fight off disease.
Professor Curtis says a number of studies have already shown individuals who had this vaccine have much less viral respiratory tract infections than those who don't.
Other studies have shown that people who have had the BCG vaccination and subsequently contract a virus have far lower virus levels in their blood than those who haven't had the vaccine.
A World Health Organisation-approved study starting next week will recruit 4000 medical workers in hospitals across Australia, half of whomwill be given BCG.
The health outcomes of vaccinated medical workers will be compared with those of their colleagues who do not receive the vaccine. The workers will be monitored via an app set up by researchers to track them for six months.
Professor Curtis said because BCG has been around for 100 years it is known to have very few side-effects or medical risks. The most significant is a small scar on the upper arm from where the vaccine enters the body.
He says the vaccine would not hinder the benefits of other anti-viral medications being trialled to combat COVID-19.
University of NSW senior medical virologist Professor Bill Rawlinson said it is important to note BCG was not an anti-viral medication, but rather a vaccine able to boost the immune system, and should be used alongside other preventive measures.
He says people can have the BCG vaccine more than once in their life without risk. He further says doing so would boost the immune system further.
[Source : The Age]
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
