Page 49 - MDJ 2022 Jan-Jun, Volume 45 Number 1

Could Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Vaccine be Used to Protect Against COVID-19?

Table 1: BCG vaccination status and COVID-19 symptoms
Were you administered with
BCG vaccination as a child?
Symptoms
I am not No Yes
sure
Less common symptoms
Aches and pains, diarrhoea, headache 0 0 1 (2 %)
Aches and pains, headache 0 0 4 (8 %)
Aches and pains, headache, loss of taste or smell 0 0 2 (4 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat 0 0 2 (4 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea 0 0 1 (2 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, headache, loss of taste or smell 0 0 1 (2 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, loss of taste or smell 1 (2 %) 0 3 (6 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat, headache 0 1 (2 %) 0
Aches and pains, sore throat, headache, loss of taste or smell 3 (6 %) 1 (2 %) 8 (16 %)
Aches and pains, sore throat, headache, loss of taste or smell 2 (4 %) 0 3 (6 %)
A rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes 0 1 (2 %) 0
Conjunctivitis, a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes 0 0 1 (2 %)
Diarrhoea 0 0 1 (2 %)
Diarrhoea, headache, conjunctivitis 0 0 1 (2 %)
Headache 0 0 2 (4 %)
Headache, loss of taste or smell 0 0 1 (2 %)
Loss of taste or smell 0 1 (2 %) 3 (6 %)
Sore throat 0 0 3 (6 %)
Sore throat, headache 1 (2 %) 0 1 (2 %)
More common symptoms
Fever 0 0 1 (2 %)
Fever, dry cough 0 0 1 (2 %)
Fever, tiredness 1 (2 %) 1 (2 %) 10 (20 %)
Fever, tiredness, dry cough 1 (2 %) 2 (4 %) 19 (38 %)
Tiredness 6 (12 %) 0 4 (8 %)
Tiredness, dry cough 0 0 3 (6 %)
Severe symptoms
Chest pain or pressure 0 1 (2 %) 2 (4 %)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath 1 (2 %) 0 5 (10 %)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure 3 (6 %) 0 1 (2 %)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, loss of speech or movement 0 1 (2 %) 0
unvaccinated participants (8 %) faced the same symptoms. DISCUSSION
Among those who were not sure if they were vaccinated or
not, 14 % (n = 7) faced these symptoms (Table 1). A prophylactic methodology utilising the BCG
vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection has currently
2. Most Common Symptoms been suggested due to the realised valuable off-target
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impacts of BCG against other infections. A staggering
Most common symptoms include fever, dry inflammatory response has been shown to add to the
cough and tiredness. 39 participants (78 %) who were severity and mortality risk in certain patients with COVID-
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vaccinated faced these symptoms while 4 unvaccinated 19, which raises worries that the BCG vaccination, by
participants (8 %) faced the same symptoms. Among those improving innate immune responses, may have injurious
who were not sure if they were vaccinated or not, 14 % impacts. The purpose of our study was to investigate
(n = 7) faced these symptoms (Table 1). whether the BCG vaccination had a relation with COVID-
19 infection rate and COVID-19 related symptoms in
3. Serious Symptoms Pakistan. BCG, initially created against tuberculosis, is
hypothesised to create a ‘frontline’ immunity, preparing
Serious symptoms included chest pain or pressure the body to react non-specifically to certain infections with
and shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. Among more noteworthy intensity. This is evidenced by clinical
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the 50 participants, 36 responded that they faced no serious and epidemiological examinations, which indicate that
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symptoms after being infected by coronavirus, 31 of whom BCG seemed to bring down overall mortality in children.
were given the BCG vaccine in their childhood. 3 of the Different clinical preliminary studies have demonstrated
participants felt chest pain or pressure, 2 of whom were that BCG immunisation emphatically decreases neonatal
vaccinated and 1 unvaccinated. 6 vaccinated and 1 mortality, an impact that appears to be down to
unvaccinated participants reported that they experienced preservation against unrelated infectious agents, bringing
shortness of breath. 4 participants, who were not sure if about less instances of respiratory tract infections and
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they were vaccinated, also had difficulty in breathing. neonatal sepsis. Spencer et al. (1977) demonstrated that
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