BCG inoculation

[Maybole]

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A Question for the Medical Experts.

I received a BCG Tuberculosis inoculation in my teens 50+ years ago and about 8 years ago was also inoculated against Pneumonia.

I read that BCG affords some protection against Covid-19, how true is that and will it still be effective ?

Also deaths from Covid-19 seem to occur after the onset of Pneumonia. Will my inoculation help to protect me ?  

 

[scubascuba3]

The pneumonia jab is for bacterial pneumonia, the Corona is viral pneumonia so no use sadly except will hopefully prevent you getting both

[Saltire]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/08/bcg-jabs-mean-six-times-less-likely-get-coronavirus-study-finds/?fbclid=IwAR1TDVJTINR_PBQO1IOqruF8vTXdGr-YvrcV9pyM7WxJ-RmUcxuFwI9NX_Q

 

Could be grasping at straws but great if proves to help some with immunity.

[blackcab]

Moved to the Health and Medicine Forum.

[Sheryl]

What is known at this time is that there countries where COVID infections are inexplicably low tend to be ones where thete is roitine nationwide BCG immunization in childhhod.

 

There is a strong statistical correllation but that in itself does not prove causation. Studies are underway.

 

So the answer to your first question is: maybe

 

As for the second question the pneumonia vaccine protects only against certain types of bacterial pneumonia. Not COVID.

[Maybole]

Many thanks, I live in hope.

[Nip]

I listened to this very subject on the radio last week. At present there are labs in the UK & Ireland working together to check to see if indeed the BCG can provide an answer cos there is evidence that it might? 

[Oxx]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

There is a strong statistical correllation

 

But one based upon poor analysis, at least according to Prof Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Translational Epidemiology & Global Health, Director, McGill Global Health Programs & Director, McGill International TB Centre.  With that background, I think his opinion is worth serious consideration.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/madhukarpai/2020/04/12/bcg-against-coronavirus-less-hype-and-more-evidence-please/

[AgMech Cowboy]

Nice thread. Thanks for this bit if info.

[orang37]

Every anomaly in incidence/mortality might be worth analyzing, but a first-pass screening of any suggested correlation between nations-with-higher and nations-with-lower rates based on any specific childhood intervention ... would, first, need to consider/exclude obvious macro factors like level of health care in general, demographics (population density), poverty, etc.

 

Given the need to focus limited funds for epidemiological research in the current crisis, many other interesting anomalies may not be followed up on.

 

"Beware the siren song of low-hanging fruit," my statistics professor once said to me  ????

 

~o:37;

[scubascuba3]

In the UK at the moment the media is banging on about greater deaths from black and Asian people, they seem to be relating it to poverty / more pre existing health conditions such as diabetes

[rickudon]

I do not think BCG makes much differennce. In the UK nearly everyone is vaccinated for it while at school - they have done it for at least 60 years, hasn't helped!

 

Yes, black and South Asians have suffered more. They tend to have more age related health problems, and they also overwhelmingly work in public facing occupations - health workers, transport, shops so are more likely to become infected. Also as more urbanised more likely to live in crowded homes. So a triple whammy for them.

[Krataiboy]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

In the UK at the moment the media is banging on about greater deaths from black and Asian people, they seem to be relating it to poverty / more pre existing health conditions such as diabetes

Wow - what a revelation: the poor suffer more sickness than anybody else. Who said investigative journalism is dead?

[GroveHillWanderer]

1 hour ago, rickudon said:

I do not think BCG makes much difference. In the UK nearly everyone is vaccinated for it while at school - they have done it for at least 60 years, hasn't helped!

I thought the UK had stopped giving routine BCG vaccinations so I checked. The policy to vaccinate schoolchildren aged 10-14 was discontinued in 2005. Still, that means the majority of people above their mid-20's in the UK, should have had the vaccination. And yet the UK is in the top ten of the worst-affected countries for both total coronavirus deaths and deaths per million people.