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Much awaited news arrived Monday: Pfizer and BioNTech announced a possible COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The COVID-19 vaccine everyone is talking about has shown promising preliminary results in Phase 3 clinical trials, and is one of several vaccines to reportedly be pre-ordered by the Canadian government.
“We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice-president of clinical development, told The Associated Press. “We’re very encouraged.”
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine May Be 90% Effective
Pfizer said an interim analysis of data from its Phase 3 clinical trial, which is currently ongoing, suggests the promising vaccine may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19.
CBC News reports that the analysis was conducted by an independent data monitoring board. The board looked at 94 infections recorded so far during the trial to see which occurred among those who received the real shot versus those who received a “dummy shot” or placebo. Each clinical trial participant receives two injections.
Drs. Nathaniel Bouganim and Ramy Saleh, key players in Canada’s very own Covid Trials, told Top Class Actions that a treatment and possible vaccines are well on their way to becoming available on the Canadian market.
“There are a lot of pharmaceutical companies that are in a head-to-head race to develop a Covid vaccine,” explains Dr. Nathaniel Bouganim.
However, the doctor warns that this does not mean that a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready for all Canadians to use.
Dr. Bouganim also cautions that there is a widespread misconception regarding the COVID-19 vaccine: “People think that if they are vaccinated against COVID, they can’t get the virus. But in fact, vaccines don’t work like that.”
Vaccines have an “efficacy,” he explains. “They may only work on 50% or 70% of the population. It won’t be a perfect solution, but it may slow down transmission and calm things down.”
Pfizer Vaccine Showing ‘Encouraging Results’
Montreal epidemiologist cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos told CBC News the Pfizer vaccine results are “encouraging” so far.
“Now the one question, the one caveat that we’re going to have with this vaccine is how long does the immunity last?” he said.
Thus far in the clinical trials, no participant has become severely ill, Pfizer’s senior vice-president of clinical development said.
COVID-19 Vaccine Needs 30K Clinical Trial Participants
The FDA requires that U.S. vaccine candidates be studied in at least 30,000 people. The COVID-19 vaccine must also be studied in adequate numbers of older adults, as well as other high risk groups, including minorities and people with chronic health problems.
Dr. Ramy Saleh told Top Class Actions that Canada’s national COVID-19 vaccine efforts have so far been tested in far less clinical trial participants: “Right now they are being tested on 1,000 to 2,000 people. If the vaccines have a bad side effect on 1 person, even 0.1%, it’s quite huge, because if we give the vaccine to 1 billion people, many people may suffer. This is why we should not push the process,” advises Dr. Saleh. “As it is currently being pushed politically, people have to be very cautious.”
The FDA’s scientific advisers expressed their worries last month, saying they are concerned that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage the public’s confidence in the shots and make it more difficult to find out how well the vaccines work. Those advisers said these massive studies must be allowed to run to completion.
Who Will Get Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine?
In August, the federal government reportedly announced that it had pre-ordered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It later specified that it had reserved 20 million doses, with the option to purchase more. Importantly, the vaccine is administered as two doses, 28 days apart. This means Canada would initially have enough to vaccinate 10 million people if it is approved.
Many are pointing out that distributing the Pfizer vaccine could be logistically challenging. Experts are warning that Canada needs to overcome major hurdles before it can develop rollout strategies for Canadians.
Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly said Canada needs “a very sophisticated” rollout plan that will require “high degrees of logistical support.”
The NACI has released preliminary recommendations that prioritize the elderly and others at severe risk of illness, including health care workers, front-line staff and those with less access to health care.
With the host of issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic across Canada, Top Class Actions is committed to keeping you up to date with the latest coronavirus legal and consumer news.
Are you planning to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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One thought on Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Reportedly 90% Effective, But Who Will Get It?
I have not got the COVID19 Vax for 1 reason, my best friend lost her husband 3 days after he took 2nd shot. He complained he could not breath he was wore out just walking from truck to house. 3 day after shot he was working passed out came to was conscious for a min and stating he couldn’t breath and he died within minutes in his step sons arms. I do not trust that i will survive it. I did not get the small pox vax either but my brother did.