Pfizer Inc with its partner BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc have published test data showing that its Covid-19 vaccines are approximately 95% effective in preventing the disease, while AstraZeneca Plc said this week that its vaccine could be as high as 90% of effectiveness.
If regulators approve any of the vaccines in the coming weeks, the companies have said distribution could begin almost immediately with governments around the world deciding who receives them and in what order. The following is a summary of the process:
WHEN WILL COMPANIES DEVELOP A VACCINE?
Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have already started manufacturing their vaccines. This year, Pfizer said it will have enough to inoculate 25 million people, Moderna will have enough for 10 million people, and AstraZeneca will have enough for more than 100 million people.
The US Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will manage the distribution in the United States, likely beginning in mid-December with an initial release of 6.4 million doses in the whole country.
UK health authorities plan to launch an approved vaccine as quickly as possible, also scheduled for December.
In the European Union, it is up to each country in the 27-member bloc to begin distributing vaccines to their populations.
WHO WOULD RECEIVE AN APPROVED VACCINE AND WHEN IN THE UNITED STATES?
With clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the CDC has said that the first in line for vaccines would be approximately 21 million healthcare workers and 3 million residents in long-term care facilities. term.
Essential workers, a group of 87 million people who perform crucial work in jobs that cannot be done from home, are likely to be the next group. This includes firefighters, police, school employees, transportation workers, food and agricultural workers, and food service employees.
About 100 million adults with high-risk medical conditions and 53 million adults over the age of 65, also considered to be at increased risk for serious illness, are the next priority.
US public health officials said the vaccines will generally be available to most Americans in pharmacies, clinics and doctor’s offices starting in April, so that anyone who wants a shot can have it by the end of June. .
It is not clear when a vaccine will be available for children. Pfizer and BioNTech have started testing their vaccine on volunteers as young as 12 years old.
WHEN WILL A VACCINE BE AVAILABLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
The European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Australia are implementing rapid vaccine regulation processes.
Many of this year’s AstraZeneca doses are expected to go to the UK, where health officials have said that, if approved, they could start vaccinating people in December. At the top of his list are people who live and work in nursing homes.
In Europe, the EU drug regulator has said it could rule on the safety of a Covid-19 vaccine in December.
Most countries have said that the first vaccines will go to the elderly and to vulnerable and front-line workers like doctors.
The countries say they are purchasing vaccines through the European Commission’s joint procurement scheme, which has agreements for six different vaccines and nearly 2 billion doses.
Delivery times vary and most countries are still working on plans to distribute and administer injections.
Italy expects to receive the first deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech injection and the AstraZeneca injection early next year. Spain plans to administer vaccines in January.
In Bulgaria, the country’s chief health inspector expects the first shipments in March-April. Hungary’s foreign minister said the doses will land in spring at the earliest.
Germany, home to BioNTech, hopes to roll out vaccines in early 2021 with mass vaccination centers in showrooms, airport terminals and concert halls. It will also use mobile equipment for residences. Front-line healthcare workers and people at risk for severe Covid-19 are expected to get vaccinated first.
WHEN WILL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE ACCESS TO VACCINES?
COVAX, a program run by the World Health Organization and the GAVI vaccine group to raise funds from richer countries and nonprofit organizations to purchase and distribute vaccines to dozens of poorer countries, has raised $ 2 billion.
Their first goal is to vaccinate 3% of the population of these countries with the ultimate goal of reaching 20%. You have signed an interim agreement to purchase the AstraZeneca vaccine, which does not require storage in specialized ultra-cold equipment such as the Pfizer vaccine.
It is expected, but not certain, that less wealthy countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, such as India, will receive low-cost or no-cost vaccines under this program in 2021. Other countries such as those in Latin America can purchase vaccines through by COVAX. Several are also signing supply agreements with drug manufacturers.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Vaccine manufacturers and governments have negotiated variable prices, not all of which are public. Governments have paid from a few dollars per injection of AstraZeneca to 50 dollars for Pfizer’s two-dose regimen. Many countries have said they will cover the cost of vaccinating their residents.
.
