Covid vaccine: The first ‘milestone’ vaccine provides 90% protection

Preliminary analysis shows that the first effective coronavirus vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from getting Covid-19.

The developers described it as “an excellent day for science and humanity” – Fives and Bioentech.

Their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised.

Companies plan to apply for emergency approval to use the vaccine by the end of the month.

No vaccine from a drawing board has proved so effective in such a short period of time.

There are still big challenges ahead, but the announcement has been warmly welcomed by scientists, who described themselves as “ear to ear” smiling and some suggest that life may be normal by spring.

“I may be the first person to say this, but I will say it with confidence,” said Sir John Belle, a Regis Professor of Medicine at Oxford University.

A vaccine is seen as the best way to get rid of the restrictions imposed on our lives along with good treatment.

Data show that three doses, separated by three weeks, are required. In the US, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Turkey – trials show that 90% protection is achieved after seven days of the second dose.

However, the data presented is not a final analysis as it is based on the first 94 volunteers to develop covid so the exact effectiveness of the vaccine may vary when the full results are analyzed.

Pfizer Chairman Dr. “We are an important step in providing much-needed success to people around the world to help end this global health crisis,” said Albert Borla.

Prof. Ugur Sahin, one of the founders of Bioentech, described the results as “landmark”.

A limited number of people may be vaccinated this year.

Pfizer and Bioentech say they will have enough safety data to carry their vaccine to regulators by the third week of November.

It will not be possible for countries to launch vaccination campaigns until it is approved.

Both companies say they will be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of this year and about 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. Everyone needs two doses.

The UK should receive 10 million doses by the end of the year, 30 million doses have already been ordered.

Not everyone will get the vaccine right away and countries are deciding who should be preferred.

Hospital staff and care home workers will be at the top of every list because of the sensitive people who work with them, as well as the elderly who are most at risk of serious illness.

UK care homes are likely to give preference to older residents and those working there.

People under the age of 50 and with no medical problems are likely to be the last in line.

There are still many unanswered questions because these are only interim data.

We don’t know if the vaccine stops you from spreading the virus or just by developing symptoms. Or if it works equally well in high-risk older people.

The biggest question – how long does immunity last – will take months or potentially years to answer.

There are also large-scale production and rational challenges in vaccinating a large number of people, as the vaccine has to be kept below minus 80C in ultra-cold storage.

The vaccine seems safe from the big trials so far but nothing including paracetamol is 100% safe.

There are about a dozen vaccines in the final stages of testing – known as the Phase 3 trial – but this is the first to show any results.

It uses a purely experimental approach – including injecting part of the genetic code of the virus – to train the immune system.

Previous tests have shown that the vaccine trains the body to make both antibodies – and another part of the immune system to fight the coronavirus called T-cells.

UK Chief Medical Adviser Prof. Chris Whitty said the results showed “the power of science” and was a “cause for optimism” for 2021.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden called it “excellent news.”

He added, “It is also important to understand that the fight against Covid-19 is still months away.”

An official spokesman for the UK’s prime minister said the results were “promising” and that “the NVS is ready to launch a vaccination program for those most at risk once the covid-1 vaccine is available”.

Peter Horby, a professor at Oxford University, said: “This news makes me smile from ear to ear.

“It’s a relief … there’s still a long way to go before the vaccines can make a real difference, but this makes me feel like a watershed moment.”

Follow James On Twitter