The MMR vaccination may protect against Covid-19 — in highly vaccinated populations

As reported in ContractPharma.com “According to a World Organization report MMR Vaccine Appears to Confer Strong Protection from COVID-19: Few Deaths from SARS-CoV-2 in Highly Vaccinated Populations, nearly all countries with few or no deaths from COVID-19 have also had large measles-mumps-rubella vaccination programs in recent years.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that as of January 10, 2020, 82 percent of the population of American Samoa had been immunized with the MMR vaccine in response to a 2019 measles outbreak.”

To date, American Samoa has not had any COVID-19 cases.

“Large measles vaccination programs have occurred in many countries with few or no deaths from COVID-19. Madagascar, a country with a population of 27.5 million people, vaccinated 7.2 million with measles-rubella containing vaccines in 2019. This was in addition to anyone previously vaccinated. Madagascar, like American Samoa, has had zero deaths from COVID-19.

Hong Kong is an example of a population that extended MMR vaccination campaigns to include many adults. A city with nearly the same population as New York City, and located just over 500 miles from Wuhan where the pandemic began, Hong Kong has seen only four COVID-19 deaths. By contrast, New York City has had 14,482 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 5,313 probable COVID-19 deaths during the same period.”

As reported in GlobeNewswire.com, since late March, 995 sailors on the U.S.S. Roosevelt tested positive for Covid-19, but only one is hospitalized.  According to Dr. Larry P. Tilley, an advisory board member of the World Organization, and co-author of the World Organization report,  this could be because of strict vaccination policies for all new recruits.

“Unlike the general population which typically receives MMR vaccinations only as young children, the U.S. military gives all new recruits MMR vaccinations upon entry regardless of prior vaccination history.

“The fact that just one out of 955 COVID-19 positive sailors from the Roosevelt is currently hospitalized is not just a slight aberration; it is way outside the norm,” said Tilley.

COVID-19 in those 20 to 44 years old usually results in a hospitalization rate of 14.3% to 20.8%, according to the CDC. If this rate had applied to the Roosevelt, there would have been well over 100 hospitalizations. One Roosevelt sailor died on April 13, but overall the hospitalization rate has been far lower than one would expect based on CDC data.

World Organization’s conclusion that MMR vaccines may have a protective effect has recently been corroborated by an unreviewed study from neuroscientists at the University of Cambridge indicating the rubella component of MMR may protect against COVID-19.”

The World Organization also reports, “On the opposite end of the spectrum, Belgium is the country with the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world. Belgium didn’t even offer MMR vaccinations until 1985, and it wasn’t until 1995 that it began giving the recommended two doses of MMR vaccinations per person. Even though Belgium has a population just 54% larger than Hong Kong, it has had a staggering 7,844 deaths from COVID-19, compared to Hong Kong’s four.”

COVID-19 survivors, regardless of how severe their cases were, are encouraged to apply online to join World Organization’s COVID-19 MMR Titer Study. Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 can apply to join the study, even if asymptomatic. Tests will be administered at Quest Diagnostics laboratories across the United States.  The World Organization is a 501c3 nonprofit charity based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sources
World.org. MMR Vaccine Appears to Confer Strong Protection from COVID-19: Few Deaths from SARS-CoV-2 in Highly Vaccinated Populations.
ContractPharma.com. Report says MMR vax campaigns may protect against Covid-19.
GlobeNewswire.com.  MMR Vaccine May Reduce COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate According to World Organization: 955 sailors on the U.S.S. Roosevelt are now positive for COVID-19 but only one is hospitalized.