COVID-19 vaccine: First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection

[Firebat]

Covid vaccine: First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection

The first effective coronavirus vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from getting Covid-19, a preliminary analysis shows.

The developers - Pfizer and BioNTech - described it as a "great day for science and humanity".

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

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

A vaccine - alongside better treatments - is seen as the best way of getting out of the restrictions that have been imposed on all our lives.

There are around a dozen in the final stages of testing - known as a phase 3 trial - but this is the first to show any results.

It uses a completely experimental approach - that involves injecting part of the virus's genetic code - in order to train the immune system.

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

Two doses, three weeks apart, are needed. The trials - in US, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Turkey - show 90% protection is achieved seven days after the second dose.

Pfizer believes it will be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of this year, and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021.

The UK should get 10 million doses by the end of the year, with a further 30 million doses already ordered.

However there are logistical challenges, as the vaccine has to be kept in ultra-cold storage at below minus 80C.

There are also questions about how long immunity lasts, and about vaccine's effectiveness for different age groups.

Dr Albert Bourla, the chairman of Pfizer, said: "We are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis."

Prof Ugur Sahin, one of the founders of BioNTech, described the results as a "milestone".

The data presented is not the final analysis. It is based on the first 94 volunteers to develop Covid - the precise effectiveness of the vaccine may change when the full results are analysed.

Pfizer and BioNTech say they will have enough safety data by the third week of November to take their vaccine to regulators. Until then it is not possible for countries to begin their vaccination campaigns.

But the companies' announcement was welcomed as a significant development.

"This news made me smile from ear to ear," Prof Peter Horby, from the University of Oxford.

"It is a relief... there is a long long way to go before vaccines will start to make a real difference, but this feels to me like a watershed moment."

The UK Prime Minister's official spokesman said the results were "promising" and that "the NHS stands ready to begin a vaccination programme for those most at risk once a Covid-19 vaccine is available".

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54873105

 

[Firebat]

 

[sweep_shot]

Wow! Great news.

I hope it works.

 

[Firebat]

'Vaccine will help but not game changer', warns WHO expert

It is great news that there are promising signs from vaccine trials, but a vaccine will not be a total game changer, an expert has warned.

Dr David Nabarro, World Health Organization special envoy on Covid-19, said it was important for people, and governments, to maintain behaviour which had helped to slow the spread of the virus even if a vaccine was available.

"I just want to stress that these principles that we have been working for are still absolutely essential even if a vaccine arrives in the next few months," he said.

A vaccine will help but it is not going to be a complete game changer."

He said the vaccine still had to go through regulatory processes and said there were always "many steps" before authorities could say a vaccine was "safe and effective", and he predicted it would take "a few months" at least.

 

[Markhor]

Brilliant news, well done to the scientists who've worked tirelessly.

 

[kaayal]

Alhamdulillah

 

[Rana]

Not getting much coverage is this thread?

 

[Nadeemp]

great news

 

[Madplayer]

Behind Pfizer's vaccine, an understated husband-and-wife 'dream team'

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Positive data on BioNTech and U.S. partner Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine is an unlikely success for the married couple behind the German biotech firm, who have devoted their lives to harnessing the immune system against cancer.Pfizer said on Monday said its experimental vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on initial data from a large study.

Pfizer and BioNTech are the first drugmakers to show successful data from a large-scale clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine. The companies said they have so far found no serious safety concerns and expect to seek U.S. emergency use authorization later this month.

From humble roots as the son of a Turkish immigrant working at a Ford factory in Cologne, BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin, 55, now figures among the 100 richest Germans, together with his wife and fellow board member Oezlem Tuereci, 53, according to weekly Welt am Sonntag.

Read more at:
https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN27P1NX?__twitter_impression=true

 

[ahmedzee]

Can someone notice the timing of the announcement, right after Joe Biden's win.

CNN covid-19 ticket is also gone for some reason since Biden's victory.

 

[Robert]

Great news indeed. This is the only way to beat this thing.

I hope it can pass all the necessary regulatory bodies and get into mass production soonest.

I guess that at-risk persons will get it first - the elderly, diabetics, other immunocompromised and BAME.

 

[James]

Good news!

 

[Technics 1210]

What a coincidence; announced days after Biden 'won' the election, despite Trump stating months before we will have a vaccine by the end of the year - no one believed him!

There is no threat of C19, the Biden Bhangra party are proof of this.

RiGGED!

 

[JaDed]

Can someone notice the timing of the announcement, right after Joe Biden's win.

CNN covid-19 ticket is also gone for some reason since Biden's victory.

Haha i wrote that in covid research thread when i shared this news in the morning

 

[MenInG]

The prime minister has welcomed news that a COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be 90% effective in preventing people from getting the virus, but says "we absolutely cannot rely on this news as a solution".

Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, Boris Johnson said these are "very, very early days".

"The biggest mistake we could make now is to soften our resolve," he added.

It comes after pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 vaccine, which is being developed with BioNTech, has been found to be 90% effective in preventing people from getting the virus.

Mr Johnson said the news was a sign that the "scientific cavalry" is on its way, but he preached cautious optimism.

The PM said the vaccine had cleared a "significant hurdle" but there were more to overcome before it can be rolled out widely.

Mr Johnson said he had talked about the "distant bugle of the scientific cavalry coming over the brow of the hill" with a breakthrough.

"I can tell you that tonight that toot of the bugle is louder, but it's still some way off, we absolutely cannot rely on this news as a solution," he said.

"The biggest mistake we could make now would be to slacken our resolve at a critical moment."

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said it was a "very important scientific breakthrough" and he was "hopeful" the first vaccine could be seen by Christmas.

He characterised the development as akin to a football team taking the lead in a penalty shootout.

"You haven't won the cup yet, but what it does is it tells you that the goalkeeper can be beaten," Professor Van-Tam said.

But echoing the PM's urge for caution, he said "we don't yet know" when life can return to normal or when restrictions can start to be lifted.

"Frankly, we're in the middle of the second wave, and I don't see the vaccine making any difference for the wave we are now in," Professor Van-Tam said.

"I'm hopeful that it may prevent future waves, but this one we have to battle through to the end without a vaccine."

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...ous-welcome-to-covid-19-vaccine-news-12128681

 

[Stewie]

Haha i wrote that in covid research thread when i shared this news in the morning

i think its a business decision which makes sense. think about it. we had a president, who kept denying COVID was a threat. in spite of all the hoopla, I think roughly 48% of the americans refused to really see it as a threat.

Now we have a president elect who does take it seriously. His policies may direct the country towards a more serious approach to handling covid-19.

So if you are a business owner, what would you benefit from more? the conditions under the first president or the second president?

 

[MenInG]

The FTSE 100 and other global stock markets have rallied sharply on growing hopes of a coronavirus vaccine - building on gains in reaction to Joe Biden's US election victory.

The FTSE hit its highest level since August after US drug firm Pfizer announced that early data from phase three trials showed its vaccine was more than 90% effective against COVID-19.

 

[JaDed]

i think its a business decision which makes sense. think about it. we had a president, who kept denying COVID was a threat. in spite of all the hoopla, I think roughly 48% of the americans refused to really see it as a threat.

Now we have a president elect who does take it seriously. His policies may direct the country towards a more serious approach to handling covid-19.

So if you are a business owner, what would you benefit from more? the conditions under the first president or the second president?

I don’t know man, my concern is below, which i read last week and was bummed because Pfizer always looked good.. on OCT 27

“: Pfizer not ready to release Covid-19 vaccine data; NIH halts Lilly study of a coronavirus antibody drug”

https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2020/10/27/pfizer-lilly-covid19-coronavirus-pandemic-fda/

 

[MenInG]

Poll added.

 

[Arsal_AK]

What a coincidence; announced days after Biden 'won' the election, despite Trump stating months before we will have a vaccine by the end of the year - no one believed him!

There is no threat of C19, the Biden Bhangra party are proof of this.

RiGGED!

This has nothing to do with Trump. Pfizer for one aren't a part of operation Warp speed.

We were expecting some sort of efficacy signal on November and we got it. Soon expect one form Moderna and Oxford as well.

They had a set threshold, 60 cases, after which they said that they will take a look. And they did.

Science doesn't work on political deadlines nor do the people behind the trial care who the president is. Even if Trump had won the election, this would have come out, just like it did now.

As for believing Trump, he spouts nonsense all the time, it's no wonder no one believes him. No one should.

About the vaccines, no one can tell beforehand whether a vaccine will work or not. Certainly not Trump. If you we we would have potential vaccines by the years end, we already had those at the start of the summer.

 

[Arsal_AK]

Amazing news. The fact that it prevents covid in 90 percent of people is huge. The other 10 percent I am sure will get some sort of protection as well. Even if for them, the vaccine reduces covid to a manageable disease with only mild symptoms, it would be immense.

The Challenges:

- This is going to be a challenge to distribute on the developing countries. For one it requires -80 degrees for storage.

- This candidate is a two shot vaccine which means you will have to come back after three weeks to get the second shot. Could be difficult to convice people who already don't want to take even a single one.

What's good:
- As it says 90 percent efficacy. That is huge and on the higher end of what we were expecting. For a first generation vaccine this is as good as it gets. It it prevents infection as well, this should be the death blow to the virus.

- This means that other vaccines are likely to work as well, since they also target the spike.

- This is an mRNA vaccine, which means it can be manufactured at scale much, much more quickly than the traditional vaccines. Much more vails in less time.

- It's from Pfizer. They have the capacity to manufacture the vaccine in huge quantities. Now that they know it works, they can really go for it.

What's next:

- Expect data from Moderna and Oxford soon as well. Moderna like this one is an mRNA vaccine. Oxford one uses a non-replicating viral vector. If they are also successful and after this result there is reason to believe they will be, it will give us three candidates by December. Moves along the vaccination efforts considerably and the more diverse the vaccines, more options for different challenges that will pop up; economic or technological for instance.

- I don't think any will have trouble getting EUA. That should come soon as well.

- China has three in phase three trials as well with one showing promise. I don't know when they are releasing their data as well.

- J and J have a candidate as well in phase three trial. This one is particularly important because it is a single dose vaccine and can be stored at much lower temperatures, still sub zero but only a few degrees below.

- The one I am looking forward to the most are the nanoparticle ones from Navorax and Imperial. They have the highest phase one neutralizing antibody titers at 100-1000x the natural infection. But it will be a while before we see them. Imperial were also working on a version that can inhaled thus doing away with injections entirely. Could be game changing for vaccines in the long term.

In short, this is great because it shows vaccines work and by the end of quarter 1, 2021, we could have a couple of billion doses of quite a diverse set of vaccines.

 

[JaDed]

[MENTION=132855]Arsal_AK[/MENTION] I was listening to NPR and they said long term efficacy is also a concern yet... not sure what that meant..

 

[MenInG]

Frankfurt: Positive data on BioNTech and US partner Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine is an unlikely success for the married couple behind the German biotech firm, who have devoted their lives to harnessing the immune system against cancer.Pfizer said on Monday said its experimental vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on initial data from a large study.


Pfizer and BioNTech are the first drugmakers to show successful data from a large-scale clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine. The companies said they have so far found no serious safety concerns and expect to seek US emergency use authorization later this month.

From humble roots as the son of a Turkish immigrant working at a Ford factory in Cologne, BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin, 55, now figures among the 100 richest Germans, together with his wife and fellow board member Oezlem Tuereci, 53, according to weekly Welt am Sonntag.

The market value of Nasdaq-listed BioNTech, which the pair co-founded, had ballooned to $21 billion as of Friday's close from $4.6 billion a year ago, with the firm set to play a major role in mass immunisation against the coronavirus.

"Despite his achievements, he never changed from being incredibly humble and personable," said Matthias Kromayer, board member of venture capital firm MIG AG, whose funds have backed BioNTech since its inception in 2008.

He added Sahin would typically walk into business meetings wearing jeans and carrying his signature bicycle helmet and backpack with him.

Doggedly pursuing his childhood dream of studying medicine and becoming a physician, Sahin worked at teaching hospitals in Cologne and the southwestern city of Homburg, where he met Tuereci during his early academic career.

Medical research and oncology became a shared passion.

Tuereci, the daughter of a Turkish physician who had migrated to Germany, said in a media interview that even on the day of their wedding, both made time for lab work.

Together they honed in on the immune system as a potential ally in the fight against cancer and tried to address the unique genetic makeup of each tumour.

Life as entrepreneurs started in 2001 when they set up Ganymed Pharmaceuticals to develop cancer-fighting antibodies, but Sahin - by then a professor at Mainz university - never gave up academic research and teaching.

They won funding from MIG AG as well as from Thomas and Andreas Struengmann, who sold their generic drugs business Hexal to Novartis in 2005.

That venture was sold to Japan's Astellas in 2016 for up to $1.4 billion. By then, the team behind Ganymed was already busy building BioNTech, founded in 2008, to pursue a much broader range of cancer immunotherapy tools.

That included mRNA, a versatile messenger substance to send genetic instructions into cells.

DREAM TEAM

For MIG's Kromayer, Tuereci and Sahin are a "dream team" in that they reconciled their visions with the constraints of reality.

The BioNTech story took a twist when Sahin in January came across a scientific paper on a new coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan and it struck him how small the step was from anti-cancer mRNA drugs to mRNA-based viral vaccines.

BioNTech quickly assigned about 500 staff to project "light speed" to work on several possible compounds, winning pharma giant Pfizer and Chinese drugmaker Fosun as partners in March.

Matthias Theobald, a fellow oncology professor at Mainz university who has worked with Sahin for 20 years, said his tendency towards understatement belies a relentless ambition to transform medicine, exemplified by the leap of faith to a COVID-19 vaccine.

"He is a very modest and humble person. Appearances mean little to him. But he wants to create the structures that allow him to realise his visions and that's where is aspirations are far from modest," Theobald said.

Sahin told Reuters on Monday the read-out amounted to an "extraordinary success rate" but that he did not know earlier in the year how difficult the task overall would be.

"It's certainly not something that you would easily voice as a serious scientist, but it was within the realms of possibility from the beginning."

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/behind-pfizers-covid-vaccine-a-husband-wife-dream-team-2322869

 

[Bewal Express]

The sooner we get out of this nightmare the better. Has anybody heard anything more about the Vlads vaccine

 

[Technics 1210]

The sooner we get out of this nightmare the better. Has anybody heard anything more about the Vlads vaccine

Ok jokes aside. I wasn’t allowed to say anything until today, but it's now okay for me to share that I volunteered for the Covid-19 vaccine trials that a local Hospital are running in partnership with Pfizer. It's important that we all do our part to beat this virus.

The vaccine I have been given is the one that has been developed in Russia. I received my first dose this morning 06:20 am, and I wanted to let you all know that it’s completely safe, with иo side effects whatsoeveя, and that I feelshκι я чувю себя немного стрно и я думю, что вытл осные уши. чувству себя немго страо.

 

[Technics 1210]

Trump vindicated, and DJIA touched 30000! ALL TIME high!

Sad and pathetic to see others steal the credit.

 

[JaDed]

“an interview with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, Bourla said he first learned about the results of the trial Sunday and he has yet to see the data, throwing cold water on the idea that there was any political motivation behind releasing the news after voters in the United States chose their candidate for president.“

Am happy to be wrong

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/09/business/pfizer-covid-vaccine/index.html

 

[Syed1]

Awkward moment when desis celebrating this news. It'll be years before the vaccine ends up in our neck of the woods. The white man has to be saved first (well they did develop the vaccine so in a way makes sense too).


My better half was involved with the covid fight in Pakistan and last month she received an email from her org whether she wanted to participate in a Chinese vaccine trial. I think Pakistan might be receive the Chinese vaccine rather than the Pfizer one.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Good for those who want to take it.

I wont take this, it only boosts your immune system, which can be done by many other methods, all natural.

 

[Bewal Express]

Trump vindicated, and DJIA touched 30000! ALL TIME high!

Sad and pathetic to see others steal the credit.

I am not sure how this vindicates Trump or any other politician. Trump hates scientists and his treament of Fauci and others has been disgusting. If wants to take credit for the vaccine then they have to responsibility for some of the deaths due to their mixed and confused messaging.

 

[Bewal Express]

Ok jokes aside. I wasn’t allowed to say anything until today, but it's now okay for me to share that I volunteered for the Covid-19 vaccine trials that a local Hospital are running in partnership with Pfizer. It's important that we all do our part to beat this virus.

The vaccine I have been given is the one that has been developed in Russia. I received my first dose this morning 06:20 am, and I wanted to let you all know that it’s completely safe, with иo side effects whatsoeveя, and that I feelshκι я чувю себя немного стрно и я думю, что вытл осные уши. чувству себя немго страо.

Well done on your great work and all involved.

 

[Technics 1210]

I am not sure how this vindicates Trump or any other politician. Trump hates scientists and his treament of Fauci and others has been disgusting. If wants to take credit for the vaccine then they have to responsibility for some of the deaths due to their mixed and confused messaging.

I believe has been vindicated. He stated many time markets will hit all time highs this year, and even higher next year when a vaccine is available to general public.

 

[Bewal Express]

I believe has been vindicated. He stated many time markets will hit all time highs this year, and even higher next year when a vaccine is available to general public.

Trump deserves no credit, nor does any politician. Credit to the brains that developed it.

 

[Technics 1210]

Trump deserves no credit, nor does any politician. Credit to the brains that developed it.

I never once said Trump deserves credit for the vaccine. I said Trump has been vindicated based on his prediction for both the stock market and the vaccine.

 

[Dios]

I believe has been vindicated. He stated many time markets will hit all time highs this year, and even higher next year when a vaccine is available to general public.

Any idiot could have predicted that. Any development which signals an end in sight for the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression would have sent global stock indices soaring so I'm not sure how Trump is vindicated.

 

[Dios]

I never once said Trump deserves credit for the vaccine. I said Trump has been vindicated based on his prediction for both the stock market and the vaccine.

So what exactly does the statement below mean then? Sad to see others steal credit for what? The vaccine? This is one of the vaccines that did not receive any funding from Operation Warp Speed.

Or do you mean Trump deserves credit for the stock indices rebounding? Again this was almost entirely single-handedly due to today's vaccine news / announcement from Pfizer. What does Trump have to do with it?

Trump vindicated, and DJIA touched 30000! ALL TIME high!

Sad and pathetic to see others steal the credit.

 

[Technics 1210]

Mike Pence was spot on in the VP debate, a vaccine will be discovered by the end of the year. Liberals and Democrats laughed at him, and Trump.

Vindicated!

 

[Bewal Express]

Mike Pence was spot on in the VP debate, a vaccine will be discovered by the end of the year. Liberals and Democrats laughed at him, and Trump.

Vindicated!

But Boris has also been saying that and Oxford Uni have said similar

 

[Dios]

As if Pence's claims had anything to do with it, even more so with this particular vaccine candidate which received no developmental funding from the US. He was speaking out of hope / desperation and to defend his administration's disastrous handling of the virus.

Btw liberal or not, most people expected a vaccine to be discovered by the end of this year. We are still looking at early 2021 for mass rollout and administering of a vaccine to the general population even with today's announcement.

 

[miandadrules]

But Boris has also been saying that and Oxford Uni have said similar

They may have done.

But did Alex Jones report it?

 

[Technics 1210]

But Boris has also been saying that and Oxford Uni have said similar

Boris didn't predict anything in a time frame during an election campaign; and his predicitions don't affect the US stock markets; his words barley effect the FTSE100.

There's plenty of market commentators stealing credit for Trump's prediction on both the stock market, and when the vaccine would be available for testing etc. Trump was repeatedly mocked.

People call today a rebound, but they don't understand trends which is why the same wrist-slitter pessimistic folks claimed Trump had destroyed the markets etc. Now they come out with the 'we knew it all along, QE had to funnel at some point, vaccine was eventually going to be found'

 

[Nadeemp]

The people behind the vaccine are Turkish immigrants to germany

The married couple behind the Biontech Firm who made the vaccine are Turkish immigrants. Feel proud.
https://m.khaleejtimes.com/coronavi...-and-wife-dream-team-behind-pfizers-candidate

 

[Nadeemp]

I believe has been vindicated. He stated many time markets will hit all time highs this year, and even higher next year when a vaccine is available to general public.

This firm got no money from us government. Actually the refused to take money.

 

[Nadeemp]

Anybody could have predicted the Stock market reaction. Trump did absolutely nothing. Actually he was the biggest hinderance to the way forward with all his anti science talk

 

[Robert]

Good for those who want to take it.

I wont take this, it only boosts your immune system, which can be done by many other methods, all natural.

Of course it does, meaning that your immune system has a better chance to knock the thing out before it kills or cripples you, or you infect other people and risk their lives.

Try and think about the safety of others.

 

[MenInG]

Brazil's health regulator has halted clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine being made by Chinese drug firm Sinovac after a "serious adverse effect".

The regulator, Anvisa, did not provide any further details but said the incident took place on 29 October.

 

[shaz619]

Of course it does, meaning that your immune system has a better chance to knock the thing out before it kills or cripples you, or you infect other people and risk their lives.

Try and think about the safety of others.

The most vulnerable should be prioritised providing the vaccine is safe but if he is young, takes care and is less prone to being infected why should he take it

 

[Robert]

The most vulnerable should be prioritised providing the vaccine is safe but if he is young, takes care and is less prone to being infected why should he take it

To protect other people whom he might otherwise infect. We are all in this together.

Anyway this thing is killing and crippling plenty of youngsters too.

 

[Zeshan547]

To protect other people whom he might otherwise infect. We are all in this together.

Anyway this thing is killing and crippling plenty of youngsters too.

You are Casting pearls before swine mate, these guys have no social responsibility.

 

[Arsal_AK]

The most vulnerable should be prioritised providing the vaccine is safe but if he is young, takes care and is less prone to being infected why should he take it

Nobody is less prone to being infected. A young person is less likely to fall I'll but that's not a rule. There are outliers and no one knows why, for sure, why that is the case.

Why take the vaccine? Bcause you don't want to be the cause of severe disease for anyone let alone the people you love and care about.

And because not everyone will be able not, those who are immunocompromised or the elderly, the real at risk populations won't be able to take all the vaccines, especially those which contains the virus, even if weekend.

The vaccine is safe. It is certainly more safe than the virus. If you are young and healthy, so much so that you think the virus won't do anything to you, the vaccine certainly won't as well.

Given all that why wouldn't you?

 

[MenInG]

'Beat this virus we must, we can and we will' - Matt Hancock

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the latest coronavirus figures show "the number of cases continues to rise" and adds "we must play our part" in driving infections down.

In a statement in the House of Commons, he says "our ability to suppress the virus begins with testing for it", adding that the NHS Test and Trace app is now approaching 20 million downloads.

"This historic expansion is just one part of our critical national infrastructure for testing," he says.

"Just as we drive testing capacity on the existing technology, so too we have invested in the development of the new.

"I have been criticised with this obsession of new testing capacity, but we have not wavered from the task and we are now seeing the fruits of this effort," he continues, referencing expanding the mass testing programme in Stoke-on-Trent to Liverpool.

He confirms the roll-out of the scheme to a further 66 local authorities.

"Beat this virus we must, we can and we will," he adds, hailing the progress of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine.

But he cautions: "We do not have a vaccine yet, but we are one step closer.

"Yesterday's announcement marks an important step in the battle against COVID-19, but as the prime minister said, we must not slacken our resolve, and there are no guarantees. So it is critical people continue to abide by the rules and we all work together to get the R number below 1."

In a more optimistic tone, he adds: "If this or any other vaccine is approved we will be ready to begin a large scale vaccination programme."

He says the vaccine will not be used for children, explaining to MPs: "It hasn't been tested on children and the reason is the likelihood the children of having significant detriment or if they catch COVID-19 is very, very low. So this is an adult vaccine for the adult population."

 

[MenInG]

Breakthrough vaccine price will be 'based on order size'

BioNTech has suggested order size will impact the price per-dose for its potential COVID-19 vaccine in the developed world.

The company and Pfizer have developed a vaccine that was found to be 90% effective in preventing people from getting COVID-19.

BioNTech's Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Richardson said in an analyst call after the release of third quarter results on Tuesday.

Mr Richardson said: "The price for the US for the first 100 million doses was $19.50 per dose."

He was referring to a July deal struck by partner Pfizer with the US government for the supply of the vaccine.

Mr Richardson added: "You can think about that as a benchmark for how we would price the vaccine to the developed world for similar volumes."

 

[MenInG]

Coronavirus: Matt Hancock asks NHS to be ready to deploy COVID-19 vaccine from start of December

 

[MenInG]

The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Punjab's Vice-Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said on Wednesday that a vaccine for coronavirus should be available in Pakistan "within six to eight weeks."

Speaking to Geo News, Dr Akram said that his institute has tested a Chinese-made vaccine on 3,000-plus people across the country during phase 3-B trials, which are currently underway.

He added that the antibody response in vaccinated individuals has been promising.

“We vaccinated people and tested them for the virus after 28 days. The trials are being carried out successfully and the vaccine to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should hopefully be available in Pakistan within six to eight weeks,” Dr Akram claimed.

Explaining the process of how the vaccine is going to work, he said that if 35% of the population is vaccinated, the pandemic will be brought under control.

“To find out the effectiveness of the vaccine, it is important that trials are carried out on our own people," Dr Javed Akram said. “The trials carried out in the United States and China might not be effective in Pakistan.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan's National Task Force on Science and Technology’s Chairman Dr Atta-ur-Rehman had also commented on Pakistan conducting trials of two Chinese vaccines, which he said are showing positive results.

“One Chinese vaccine, by Sinopharm, is in phase-3 of clinical trials and has shown good results in multiple countries but they have not highlighted its success like Pfizer,” said Dr Rehman.

He added that the trial is being conducted in Karachi University’s International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences and Indus Hospital.

The Task Force chairman said that Sinopharm has agreed to provide the vaccine to Pakistan at “reasonable rates”, adding that the phase-3 clinical trial of another Chinese vaccine is being carried out at the National Institute of Health.

“Unlike the vaccine by Pfizer, the Chinese vaccines can be transported at normal temperatures and do not have to be kept at -80°C. They will better suit Pakistan and other third world countries,” Dr Rehman said.

 

[Firebat]

Putin sees a 90% effective vaccine and raises them a 92% effective vaccine


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Russia says its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92% effective

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country’s sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot.

Russia's results are only the second from a late-stage human trial, following on swiftly from data released on Monday by Pfizer Inc PFE.N and BioNTech BNTX.O, which said their shot was also more than 90% effective.

While experts said the Russian data was encouraging and reinforced the idea the pandemic could be halted by vaccines, they warned that the results were only based on a small number of trial volunteers who had contracted COVID-19.

The analysis was conducted after 20 participants developed the virus and examined how many had received the vaccine versus a placebo. That is significantly lower than the 94 infections in the trial of the vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

“I assume there was political pressure after the press release from Pfizer and BioNTech earlier in the week to now draw level with their own data,” said Bodo Plachter, deputy director of the Institute of Virology at the Mainz University. “What is missing for now is an analysis of statistical significance.”

To confirm the efficacy rate of its vaccine, Pfizer said it would continue its trial until there were 164 COVID-19 cases.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been backing Sputnik V’s development, said the Russian trial would continue for six months.

Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Institute which developed the vaccine, said the interim results demonstrated that Sputnik V was effective and mass vaccinations would be rolled out in Russia in the coming weeks.

European stocks and U.S. stock futures extended their gains slightly after Russia’s announcement though the reaction was far more muted than after Pfizer’s results.

China’s Sinopharm, which is running large-scale late-stage clinical trials for two COVID-19 vaccine candidates, said on Wednesday that its data was better than expected, though it did not give further details.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ovid-19-vaccine-is-92-effective-idUSKBN27R0Z6

 

[Arsal_AK]

The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Punjab's Vice-Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said on Wednesday that a vaccine for coronavirus should be available in Pakistan "within six to eight weeks."

Speaking to Geo News, Dr Akram said that his institute has tested a Chinese-made vaccine on 3,000-plus people across the country during phase 3-B trials, which are currently underway.

He added that the antibody response in vaccinated individuals has been promising.

“We vaccinated people and tested them for the virus after 28 days. The trials are being carried out successfully and the vaccine to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should hopefully be available in Pakistan within six to eight weeks,” Dr Akram claimed.

Explaining the process of how the vaccine is going to work, he said that if 35% of the population is vaccinated, the pandemic will be brought under control.

“To find out the effectiveness of the vaccine, it is important that trials are carried out on our own people," Dr Javed Akram said. “The trials carried out in the United States and China might not be effective in Pakistan.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan's National Task Force on Science and Technology’s Chairman Dr Atta-ur-Rehman had also commented on Pakistan conducting trials of two Chinese vaccines, which he said are showing positive results.

“One Chinese vaccine, by Sinopharm, is in phase-3 of clinical trials and has shown good results in multiple countries but they have not highlighted its success like Pfizer,” said Dr Rehman.

He added that the trial is being conducted in Karachi University’s International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences and Indus Hospital.

The Task Force chairman said that Sinopharm has agreed to provide the vaccine to Pakistan at “reasonable rates”, adding that the phase-3 clinical trial of another Chinese vaccine is being carried out at the National Institute of Health.

“Unlike the vaccine by Pfizer, the Chinese vaccines can be transported at normal temperatures and do not have to be kept at -80°C. They will better suit Pakistan and other third world countries,” Dr Rehman said.

If what he says here is true, the trail is meaningless. Test them for the virus after 28 days? Where is the control group, what about the biasness that comes with the trial not being blind, forget double blind?

Also say I give you the vaccine, then test you after 28 days for the virus. There is none. How in the world can I claim that the vaccine is working? What if you didn't come in contact with the virus.

Also the 35 percent thing is hogwash. You cannot claim anything without knowing the efficacy of the vaccine.

The only thing true here is the fact that the Chinese vaccines don't require storing at -80 degrees.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Why do this if the vaccine was set for great things? Surely he’s not hard up for cash on his salary.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pfizer CEO sold 60 PERCENT of his stock for $5.6M the DAY of the vaccine announcement <a href="https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS">https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS</a></p>— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMail/status/1326545571780259840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

India's Serum says produced 40 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine producer, said it has made 40 million doses of AstraZeneca’s potential Covid-19 vaccine, and would soon begin making Novavax’s rival shot, as they both seek regulatory approval.

Serum said it had enrolled 1,600 participants in India for late-stage trials of AstraZeneca's candidate, and also plans to seek regulatory approval to run late-stage trials for the Novavax vaccine.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, co-developed by Oxford University, is the most advanced in human testing in India, Serum said, adding that the company and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will pursue “early availability” of the shot in India.

 

[The Viper]

The scientist behind the Pfizer vaccine has told Sky News people in the UK could be vaccinated against coronavirus by the middle of next month.

Speaking in his first interview with a UK broadcaster, Professor Ugur Sahin, co-founder of German firm BioNTech, said the first vaccines could be rolled out to patients nationwide mid-December.

But he said it would depend on whether the UK regulator licences it in time, adding: "The earliest time point for supplying vaccines will not be before the middle of December.

"And the middle of December will not mean the situation will dramatically change. This will be a difficult winter. It will become worse before it becomes better."

But he said with the help of the vaccine, we "could return to normal life by the middle of next year".

During the wide-ranging interview, Professor Sahin spoke of his "alarm" when the virus emerged in January, a timeline for the vaccine and his modest lifestyle at home in Germany.

He described the news that the jab is 90% effective at preventing COVID-19 as an "outstanding result".

"We don't expect that, as serious scientists, we consider potential efficacy between 60, 70 and 80%."

Asked whether he felt under pressure after trials revealed the jab is 90% effective, he said: "Of course. But it's not a race against each other, it's a race against time."

Professor Sahin said that while the world waits for safety checks and government authorisations, the best thing people can do is wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

"Everyone has a responsibility. It's not just about governments. The most important aspect is to carry a mask, be careful and avoid too many people being too long in one room."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The co-founder of BioNtech, Ugur Sahin, says he foresaw coronavirus becoming a global problem back in January.

Asked if he will be getting the vaccine, he told Sky News: "Yes of course, I would take it on the first day I'm allowed to."

Despite his new found global fame, Professor Sahin, 55, said he does not own a TV and will continue to cycle to work despite shares in his firm soaring to $21bn (£16bn).

"We want to continue to focus on our work. I'm middle class, it's completely fine to live a normal middle class life - we don't need anything beyond that."

Professor Sahin and his wife Ozlem Tureci, 53, are co-founders of the German biotech firm working with Pfizer on one of 12 leading coronavirus vaccine trials.

Professor Sahin, 55, and his wife founded BioNTech in 2008

Both of Turkish origin, they met while working in oncology in Germany, setting up their first firm together in 2001.

They founded BioNTech in 2008, selling the other company for £1bn in 2016.

When in January this year Professor Sahin came across a scientific paper on a coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, it struck him how similar his antibody drugs for cancer were to those needed for potential viral vaccines.

BioNTech quickly assigned around 500 staff to project "light speed" to work on several possible compounds, winning pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Chinese drug maker Fosun as partners in March.

"It was clear that there was a high likelihood it would be a global pandemic and it would come to Germany.

"It was a logical decision to start as soon as possible - It was very clear that we had no time to lose," he told Sky News.

Less than nine months later, the couple are the first people in the world to offer any hope of the pandemic coming to an end.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19...ients-could-be-vaccinated-next-month-12130523

 

[pakistani pride]

To protect other people whom he might otherwise infect. We are all in this together.

Anyway this thing is killing and crippling plenty of youngsters too.

Plenty of youngsters? Really, how many?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Of course it does, meaning that your immune system has a better chance to knock the thing out before it kills or cripples you, or you infect other people and risk their lives.

Try and think about the safety of others.

Safety of others shouldnt be an issue now since the vunerbale will be given the vaccine first?

I will do my part by allowing others to take the vaccine first, please let me know in 12 months how you get on Robert. I am a healthy , strong person with a strong immune system, therefore I wont be taking this vaccine, for the reasons stated below.

You are Casting pearls before swine mate, these guys have no social responsibility.

What is this? lol.

If you want to take the vaccine please do but you have no right to tell others what they should inject into their bodies.

 

[KingKhanWC]

To protect other people whom he might otherwise infect. We are all in this together.

Anyway this thing is killing and crippling plenty of youngsters too.

This isnt true.

Only those with weak immune systems.

Do you know the history of Pfizer?

This vaccine must be stored at -80C. The incompetenace of the UK government and the NHS means many will be given a vaccine which has either been contiminated or which has not been at -80c for period of time which means danger to the patient.

 

[miandadrules]

Safety of others shouldnt be an issue now since the vunerbale will be given the vaccine first?

I will do my part by allowing others to take the vaccine first, please let me know in 12 months how you get on Robert. I am a healthy , strong person with a strong immune system, therefore I wont be taking this vaccine, for the reasons stated below.



What is this? lol.

If you want to take the vaccine please do but you have no right to tell others what they should inject into their bodies.

What is social responsibility?

It is caring for your fellow human being.

 

[KingKhanWC]

What is social responsibility?

It is caring for your fellow human being.

Not when involves injecting something into my body. Fellow humans are free to take the vaccine and protect themselves.

There is no law of social responsibility, we are free do to as we please within the law of the land.

 

[miandadrules]

Not when involves injecting something into my body. Fellow humans are free to take the vaccine and protect themselves.

There is no law of social responsibility, we are free do to as we please within the law of the land.

Absolutely.

I’d expect nothing less for you.

It’s a shame that you weren’t even familiar with the term. Do you have any grasp of the concept?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Absolutely.

I’d expect nothing less for you.

It’s a shame that you weren’t even familiar with the term. Do you have any grasp of the concept?

The so called concept doesnt exist, its a theory on how people should live tegether. I have my own theories. You might want to dictate your views on others but we dont live in a dicatorship.

I assume you want everyone to take this vaccine even if they are against it?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Why do this if the vaccine was set for great things? Surely he’s not hard up for cash on his salary.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pfizer CEO sold 60 PERCENT of his stock for $5.6M the DAY of the vaccine announcement <a href="https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS">https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS</a></p>— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMail/status/1326545571780259840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The release of this vaccine to the world was a money making ploy to get more orders and to make big money on shares not just in pharmacuticals.

Pfizer has a dark history of explotation. People should watch this before making a decision to take this vaccine.

 

[miandadrules]

The so called concept doesnt exist, its a theory on how people should live tegether. I have my own theories. You might want to dictate your views on others but we dont live in a dicatorship.

I assume you want everyone to take this vaccine even if they are against it?

And your basing that assumption on what exactly?

 

[KingKhanWC]

And your basing that assumption on what exactly?

Based on your jubilation at social responsibility.

Yes or No?

 

[miandadrules]

Based on your jubilation at social responsibility.

Yes or No?

Jubilation at social responsibility?

Thank you for proving my point.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Jubilation at social responsibility?

Thank you for proving my point.

As I thought, you struggle to confirm your own views if you would like all to take the vaccine. So please dont preach to others when you're confused yourself.

 

[miandadrules]

As I thought, you struggle to confirm your own views if you would like all to take the vaccine. So please dont preach to others when you're confused yourself.

Lalu, I’m pointing out that you can’t even grasp or have no knowledge of the most basic of concepts.

You seem to consider reading as a supernatural activity.

You are the epitome of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

I’ll do as I please, you’re more than welcome to try and stop me.

 

[miandadrules]

As I thought, you struggle to confirm your own views if you would like all to take the vaccine. So please dont preach to others when you're confused yourself.

I believe in personal responsibility.

Each individual has to make their own decision.

However, that doesn’t absolve one from the responsibility of the consequences of their decision or the rationale they have used to justify it.

That’s where the responsibility part comes. Do you understand that? Or shall will space the sentences further apart for you?

 

[sweep_shot]

Why do this if the vaccine was set for great things? Surely he’s not hard up for cash on his salary.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pfizer CEO sold 60 PERCENT of his stock for $5.6M the DAY of the vaccine announcement <a href="https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS">https://t.co/JDAmlQMnOS</a></p>— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMail/status/1326545571780259840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I have to say this seems quite suspicious. I am having a second thought about taking this vaccine.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I believe in personal responsibility.

Each individual has to make their own decision.

However, that doesn’t absolve one from the responsibility of the consequences of their decision or the rationale they have used to justify it.

That’s where the responsibility part comes. Do you understand that? Or shall will space the sentences further apart for you?

lol. So if someone doesnt take the vaccine are they then not being responsible? Yes or No?

You worry about yourself pal, leave others to do what is best for them. We dont live in your dictatorship.

 

[miandadrules]

lol. So if someone doesnt take the vaccine are they then not being responsible? Yes or No?

You worry about yourself pal, leave others to do what is best for them. We dont live in your dictatorship.

Once again, can’t even grasp the simplest of concepts.

 

[moghul]

This vaccine will very effective.

Will be offered to healthcare workers first, probably by last week of December. I will be first in line for it, have no reservation or doubt.

 

[James]

There is talk of the vaccine perhaps not being ‘mandatory’, but at the same time there being digital Covid “passports” wherein if someone has not had the vaccine then they will effectively still be locked down and not be able to gain admittance to any kind of premises.

 

[IMMY69]

There is so much rubbish out there on the internet.
Conspiracies about this and that.

I would urge anyone with doubts to speak to a doctor or a friend or family in the field (science/medicine) who can put your minds at ease.

 

[pakistani pride]

There is so much rubbish out there on the internet.
Conspiracies about this and that.

I would urge anyone with doubts to speak to a doctor or a friend or family in the field (science/medicine) who can put your minds at ease.

About what?