Another imperfect vaccine is approved but people are eager to get it

[MillCreek]

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-experts-back-using-malaria-vaccine-african-children-2021-10-06/

For malaria.

[Perd Hapley]

From the article quoted in the OP:

Malaria killed 274,000 African kids under 5 in 2019

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-experts-back-using-malaria-vaccine-african-children-2021-10-06/

How many children have died from COVID-19?

Among the 2.7 million COVID-19 deaths1 reported in the MPIDR COVerAGE database, 0.3 per cent (over 8,700) occur in children and adolescents under 20 years of age. Of the over 8,700 deaths reported in those under 20 years of age, 60 per cent occurred among adolescents ages 10–19, and 40 per cent among children ages 0–9.

Data correct as of May 2021.

[cordex]

Good.  I hope that helps a lot of people.

[Ben]

A lot more people in Africa would have been helped if crazy lady didn't lead the charge to eliminate DDT.

[charby]

A lot more people in Africa would have been helped if crazy lady didn't lead the charge to eliminate DDT.

You know they still use DDT in countries outside the "western world", like in Africa, Asia and South America.

Mosquitoes and other insects were also starting to have some resistance issues to DDT in the 1970s.

And there are other chemistries that kill mosquitoes just fine.

Sometimes it due to a corrupt government not alloting money to killing mosquitoes in the poorer areas, a vaccine is going to have the same problem in these same countries.

[Ben]

You know they still use DDT in countries outside the "western world", like in Africa, Asia and South America.

My understanding is that it is limited indoor use in Africa. I have read that mosquitoes can build up a resistance.

I'm not sure if the "safe alternatives" are as good. The county sprays, fogs, and drops granules in my pastures throughout mosquito season. Works fine for a couple of weeks, then I'm under attack again. I think one of DDT's pros is that it is much more persistent (which of course is one of its cons as well). I guess one could argue regarding using larger quantities of "safe" chemicals or smaller quantities of unsafe chemicals, like DDT.

[charby]

My understanding is that it is limited indoor use in Africa. I have read that mosquitoes can build up a resistance.

I'm not sure if the "safe alternatives" are as good. The county sprays, fogs, and drops granules in my pastures throughout mosquito season. Works fine for a couple of weeks, then I'm under attack again. I think one of DDT's pros is that it is much more persistent (which of course is one of its cons as well). I guess one could argue regarding using larger quantities of "safe" chemicals or smaller quantities of unsafe chemicals, like DDT.

Plus DDT wasn't species specific, it killed bees and other pollinator insects.

[Ron]

Plus DDT wasn't species specific, it killed bees and other pollinator insects.

Wasn't it linked to some birds having egg shell abnormalities?

[charby]

Wasn't it linked to some birds having egg shell abnormalities?

One of several things, but that probably got everyone's attention in regards to American Eagle and other birds of prey.

[MechAg94]

The vaccine's effectiveness at preventing severe cases of malaria in children is only around 30%, but it is the only approved vaccine. The European Union's drugs regulator approved it in 2015, saying its benefits outweighed the risks.

"This is how we fight malaria, layering imperfect tools on top of each other," said Ashley Birkett, who leads global malaria vaccine work at Path, a non-profit global health organization that has funded development of the vaccine with GSK and the three-country pilot.

Another vaccine against malaria called R21/Matrix-Mthat was developed by scientists at Britain's University of Oxford showed up to 77% efficacy in a year-long study involving 450 children in Burkina Faso, researchers said in April. It is still in the trial stages.

30%.  I see why you said imperfect.  I hope there are no serious negative side effects.  Hopefully, the more promising vaccine gets finished and works.

[JTHunter]

Wasn't it linked to some birds having egg shell abnormalities?

Charby is right about the birds of prey being susceptible.  One of the worst hit were the California condors, but part of their problem was lead shot they ate from hunter's kills.  Many smaller birds were hurt because of the food they ate, esp. the bug eaters, as their food was contaminated.

[Ron]

There weren't any eagles in the Chicago suburbs while I was growing up in the 70's, and now they are starting to nest along the Des Plains River. Barely 15 miles from downtown Chicago.

I see far more hawks nowadays as well.