study proves that the BCG vaccine is not effective against the disease

Research carried out by scientists and published in the specialized journal Nejm (The New England Journal of Medicine) shows that, contrary to what was thought, the BCG vaccine, against childhood tuberculosis, did not protect health professionals during the acute period of the pandemic. of Covid-19 against symptomatic cases of the disease, neither hospitalizations nor deaths. 40 research scientists participated in the study.

In the research, the volunteers received doses of placebo (medicine designed to look exactly like the original), and the original substance. Symptomatic cases that received placebo and those that received the original did not have a great difference in contamination. As for severe cases, the group that received the placebo formed 6.5% and those who received the real immunizer 7.6%, that is, for the scientists, it was proven that BCG was not really effective against Covid-19.

When a pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization, the WHO, and there were still no studies for a vaccine, it was believed that the BCG vaccine would help the body to have an immune response to the new virus, as BCG helps the body to have a response against various respiratory infections, and therefore could also help protect against Covid.

A total of 3998 healthcare professionals were tested, with 1703 receiving the original substance and 1683 receiving the placebo.

During the study, vaccination against the original strain of Covid was also started and many of those who were in the study took the specific immunizer for Covid-19 and according to the scientist Curtis who directed the studies, this event may have influenced the results. He said that “Covid symptoms reflect that the immune system is working to fight the virus. A protective response induced by BCG can be beneficial, eliminating the virus more quickly from the body, which reduces serious cases. until symptom resolution was less in subjects vaccinated with BCG than in placebo”.

The study had Brazilian volunteers and represented 64% of the total number of participants. The study was directed by Margareth Dalcolmo, Júlio Croda and Marcos Lacerda, physicians and researchers at FIOCRUZ. According to Croda, in Brazil it has not been possible to prove whether the BCG vaccine really protects against severe or normal cases of the disease.

BCG may not be effective against Covid, as the study proved, but it is essential against other respiratory tract diseases caused by other viruses. Health professionals continue to recommend that you keep your vaccination booklet up to date, protecting yourself and society.

Featured Photo: Vaccine and scientist. – Photo: Reproduction/Freepick