BCG Vaccine Coronavirus

WHO Warns: BCG Vaccine is not a Panacea During a Coronavirus Epidemic

According to the World HealthOrganization (WHO), there is no evidence that the childhood vaccine against tuberculosis (BCG) protects people against the virus called Covid-19, the UN's website said on Tuesday.

Experiments in both humans and animals have shown that the BCG vaccine has an effect on the immune system in addition to the targeted disease, but these have not been thoroughly described and their clinical significance is unknown, the report said.    

Based on British, French and Chinese research, the WHO updated its scientific databases and clinical trial databases on Covid-19, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 and BCG on 11 April .    

Meanwhile, three documents were found whose authors compared the course of Covid-19 in countries where BCG vaccination is routinely used with countries where it is not used. In doing so, it was found that fewer confirmed infections were reported in countries where infants receive the BCG vaccine. However, these studies show significant differences due to the population characteristics of the country, the proportion of coronavirus tests performed and the stage of the epidemic in that country.    

There are currently two clinical studies on the effects of BCG vaccination in which the vaccine was given to healthcare workers who are directly involved in caring for people with Covid-19 disease.    

BCG Vaccine

In the absence of evidence, the WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination to protect against Covid-19 , but continues to recommend vaccination for infants in countries with a high risk of tuberculosis.    

At the same time, the European WHO office on Tuesday dispelled the myth, based on fear and false information, that high-alcohol beverages would provide protection against Covid-19 disease.