The National Institute of Health (INS) of Mozambique on Monday launched a clinical trial called ECOVA-02 to evaluate the efficacy of the combined use of two different vaccines against COVID-19 among adults.
The 12-month study, with 360 volunteers to be involved, will assess the safety and immunogenicity of a method using Vero Cell and Johnson & Johnson vaccines administered 28 days apart, Ilesh Jani, the general director of INS, said during the launch of the trial in Maputo province.
According to the director, if the effectiveness of the research results is proved, the country will have a new answer to the availability problem of vaccines.
There is strong evidence that the combination of two vaccines can bring about a better immune response against the known variants of COVID-19, said the health official when presenting the previous study results of his institute.
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He said there is also evidence that the two different immunizers can guarantee protection in the medium and long term and strengthen the immunity of communities against the global pandemic.
Both vaccines have been approved by the World Health Organization and are currently being administered for the vaccination program against COVID-19 in Mozambique.
Since the outbreak in March 2021, COVID-19 has claimed 1,968 lives in the country, which currently has 18,225 active cases of the disease.
