Homologous protein domains in SARS-CoV-2 and measles, mumps and rubella viruses: preliminary evidence that MMR vaccine might provide protection against COVID-19

Robin Franklin; Adam Young; Bjoern Neumann; Rocio Fernandez; Alexis Joannides; Amir Reyahi; Yorgo Modis

If the MMR vaccine provides protection against SARS-CoV-2, as the structural biology suggests, then one would predict a correlation between MMR vaccine coverage and age (and sex)-associated disease profiles of COVID-19. To test this prediction, we examined data from Italy, Spain and Germany, the three European countries with the highest number of reported Covid-19 cases at present. Historic vaccination schedules or recommendations for these countries were identified from relevant bodies and the literature [Vaccination schedules in Spain, 2019; STIKO, Germany, 2020; Filia, 2003 Estimated average national immunisation coverages with a measles-containing vaccine in the studied countries ranged within 57-97% in Germany (1980 ( ), 63-96% in Spain (1981 , and 53-89% in Italy (1990 Italy ( -2018 . For a rubella-containing vaccine these ranges were the same as for a measlescontaining vaccine in Italy and Spain, and for Germany it was 87-97% Age-adjusted case-fatality risk related to Covid-19 disease increases with age in all countries. It has ranged within 0-10.1%, 0-21.5%, and 0-24% among females and 0-27.3%, 0-32.9%, and 0-30.8% among males, in Germany, Spain and Italy, respectively. In males, the age groups from which casefatality risk started to be over 1% was 70-79, 50-59, 40-49 in Germany, Spain and Italy respectively. In females these age groups were 60-69 in Italy and Spain, and 70-79 in Germany (Fig. 4) .