An international study conducted in several countries – including Brazil – concluded that the BCG vaccine, used to fight tuberculosis, does not protect health professionals against covid-19. The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In Brazil, the survey was conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). 
The study involved 3,988 health professionals recruited from a total of 36 locations. The results show that the risk of developing a symptomatic picture of covid-19 in the group that received BCG, six months later, was 14.7%, against 12.3% among health professionals who received a placebo.
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In a note, Fiocruz also reported that the research was unable to determine whether the immunizer reduced hospitalizations and deaths due to the low number of participants who developed severe cases of covid-19. Health professionals were prioritized in vaccination against covid-19 and doses reduce serious cases and deaths.
Previous research had shown that BCG would boost innate (one’s born) immunity in children and protect teens and adults from respiratory infections. “It was hoped that the vaccine could be temporarily repositioned until specific vaccines for the disease could be developed and tested”, highlighted Fiocruz.
According to the researchers, analysis of the data is ongoing, with additional results on the effects of BCG expected later in the year – including the impact of the vaccine on other infections, such as respiratory diseases, and on responses to specific doses against covid-19. 19.
“The research team also uses the participants’ blood samples to try to discover biomarkers for the risk of covid-19”, highlighted Fiocruz.
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