{"id":3979,"date":"2020-11-18T09:05:59","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T14:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/?p=3979"},"modified":"2020-11-18T09:06:00","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T14:06:00","slug":"pharmaceutical-giant-pfizer-has-released-initial-data-on-its-covid-19-vaccine-the-vaccine-is-safe-and-more-than-90-effective-but-theres-some-bad-news-as-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/2020\/11\/18\/pharmaceutical-giant-pfizer-has-released-initial-data-on-its-covid-19-vaccine-the-vaccine-is-safe-and-more-than-90-effective-but-theres-some-bad-news-as-well\/","title":{"rendered":"Pharmaceutical Giant Pfizer has released initial data on its Covid-19 vaccine. The Vaccine is safe and more than 90% effective but there&#8217;s some bad news as well."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Over the past month the news about the Covid-19 pandemic has just gone from bad to worse. Currently the daily increase in the number of cases has climbed above 100,000 while the death rate has risen to over 1,000 a day. Hospitalizations are surging and if the trend continues medical facilities in many states will soon be overwhelmed, possibly resulting in the deaths of many people who could have been saved if adequate medical care had been available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Coronavirus.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Coronavirus.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Coronavirus-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Coronavirus-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Coronavirus-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>Will this image of the Covid-19 virus become a new symbol of death for our age? (Credit: FDA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1060\" height=\"655\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/coronavirus-Bloomberg-12-1060x655.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3981\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/coronavirus-Bloomberg-12-1060x655.jpg 1060w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/coronavirus-Bloomberg-12-1060x655-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/coronavirus-Bloomberg-12-1060x655-768x475.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>As more and more Covid patients are hospitalized will we be forced to start rationing medical care? (Credit: Bloomberg)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was hardly surprising therefore that the release of the initial data from the Phase 3 trial of Pfizer corporation&#8217;s Covid-19 vaccine was proclaimed throughout the media as something close to a divine miracle. In fact the news was good, better than expected. Of the 44,000 people who participated in the trial none showed any sign of harm that could be attributed to the vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Pfizer.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Pfizer.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Pfizer-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Pfizer-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Pfizer-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly the preliminary estimate for the effectiveness of the vaccine was calculated at more than 90%. Now it&#8217;s important to understand how that estimate is derived. First of all, only half of the 44,000 volunteers actually got the vaccine, the other 22,000 were given a placebo. Then, over the course of more than three months 94 of the participants tested positive for Covid-19 but 90% of those who tested positive were from the placebo group while less than 10% were from the group that had received the vaccine. Statistically that implies that Pfizer&#8217;s vaccine provides immunity to Covid-19 to more than 90% of those who receive it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Stages-of-Vaccine-Development-and-Testing.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3983\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Stages-of-Vaccine-Development-and-Testing.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Stages-of-Vaccine-Development-and-Testing-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Stages-of-Vaccine-Development-and-Testing-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>Stages of Vaccine development. Pfizer and Moderna are nearing the end of Phase III and are hoping to obtain FDA approval for wide distribution of their vaccine soon. (Credit: IndianYug)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While the full testing isn&#8217;t over yet, Pfizer hopes to have enough data to be able to ask the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the end of November. If that EUA is granted then Pfizer could begin to supply as many as 20 million doses of their vaccine by the end of the year with more to come in the first months of 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/vaccinephases.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/vaccinephases.png 800w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/vaccinephases-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/vaccinephases-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>Basic outline of the distribution plan for the Covid-19 vaccine once approved. (Credit: WTVD)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Other\ndrug companies are also nearing the conclusion of their vaccine testing. Just\nthis last Monday the drug company Moderna has announced initial results showing\nthat their vaccine is 94.5% effective. And like Pfizer, Moderna hopes to ask\nthe FDA for an EUA by the end of November. This progress is generating real hope\nthat enough people could be vaccinated by next May or June to finally bring\nthis horrendous disease under control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s the good news; there are a few potential problems as well. The big one is going to be transportation, distribution and administration of the vaccine. You see in order to maintain its effectiveness the Pfizer vaccine needs to be kept at a temperature of -70\u00baC (-94\u00baF), and while many vaccines need to be kept cool, -70\u00baC is unusually cold. So cold in fact that very few refrigerated trucks are capable of such a low temperature, which will make transportation difficult. At the same time your personal physician or local pharmacy is unlikely to have the refrigeration necessary to keep a supply of the vaccine on hand. So the question becomes, how is the vaccine going to get to you? This is the big reason why it will take almost half a year to get enough people vaccinated to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"741\" height=\"540\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/CovidStorage.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/CovidStorage.jpg 741w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/CovidStorage-300x219.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>Most Vaccines need to be stored at low temperatures but Pfizer&#8217;s Covid Vaccine needs to be kept very cold. (Credit: Financial Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Longer term there is also the question of how long will the immunity provided by Pfizer&#8217;s, or any vaccine last. Individual cases of people becoming infected with Covid-19 a second time have been cropping up now for months and studies have indicated that the anti-bodies produced by our bodies start to decay after only a few months. Currently epidemiologists are coming to the conclusion that it may be necessary for people to get vaccinated for Covid-19 every year, just like your yearly flu shot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1697\" height=\"1131\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/flu-shot-blog.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/flu-shot-blog.jpg 1697w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/flu-shot-blog-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/flu-shot-blog-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/flu-shot-blog-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>Getting a yearly Flu shot has become a routine part of many people&#8217;s lives. Will a yearly Covid shot have to become one as well? (Credit: Harvard Health &#8211; Harvard University)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally there are the ongoing difficulties of those people who needed to be hospitalized because of Covid-19 and survived, but whom months later have still not fully recovered. These patients have been given the designation of Covid-19 &#8216;Long Haulers&#8217; and the question of just how long the disease will continue to impact their health is at present totally unknown. There are now tens of thousands of these unfortunate people, and more are joining this ill-fated group everyday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" src=\"http:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/LongHaulers.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/LongHaulers.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/LongHaulers-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/LongHaulers-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption>So many people are suffering from long term effects of Covid-19 that they are even beginning to establish support groups. (Credit: Fox13)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There\nhas even been speculation in the media that, assuming the &#8216;pre-existing\nconditions&#8217; statue in Obamacare is struck down, Health Insurance Companies may\ntry to classify anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 as having a\npre-existing condition. Just a few more ways in which Covid-19 may still be\nharming people years from now.\n\nHumanity has been suffering from the Covid-19\nepidemic for almost a year now and even if the development of the first safe\nand effective vaccine is a big step forward there is still going to be a lot\nmore suffering to come. We can only hope that the scientists who are studying\nCovid-19 now can learn enough lessons to enable us to handle the next pandemic\nbetter.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the past month the news about the Covid-19 pandemic has just gone from bad to worse. Currently the daily increase in the number of cases has climbed above 100,000 while the death rate has risen to over 1,000 a day. Hospitalizations are surging and if the trend continues medical facilities in many states will &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/2020\/11\/18\/pharmaceutical-giant-pfizer-has-released-initial-data-on-its-covid-19-vaccine-the-vaccine-is-safe-and-more-than-90-effective-but-theres-some-bad-news-as-well\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Pharmaceutical Giant Pfizer has released initial data on its Covid-19 vaccine. The Vaccine is safe and more than 90% effective but there&#8217;s some bad news as well.&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[1288,1286,1287],"class_list":["post-3979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","tag-covid-19-long-haulers","tag-covid-19-vaccine","tag-pfizer-covid-19"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3979"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3989,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3979\/revisions\/3989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceandsf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}