Medical

coronavirus vaccine and 10 things you need to know about

The news of the coronavirus Pfizer vaccine‘s high efficacy was like a beacon of hope that made the world optimistic about the end of the worst health crisis of the century. But how realistic is this hope?

 

The world received good news on Monday after a long time. According to preliminary results, Pfizer, a primary American pharmacist with its German partner BioNTech, said that the vaccine is more than 90% effective.

The new news, which is the first test results of a vaccine in the final stages of a trial, has dramatically boosted stock markets’ value by giving people hope. However, it should be noted that the Pfizer vaccine’s high efficacy is still based on preliminary results, and scientists still need to learn much more about how well it works.

Another critical point to note is that the vaccine will not be ready to save the world. As official statistics show, the coronavirus continues to take its toll on victims worldwide. The situation will not improve in the future; Unless much more stringent measures are taken to maintain public health.

Follow us to learn 10 essential things you need to know about the Pfizer corona vaccine.

 

What have scientists discovered?

In July, Pfizer and Biotech launched the third and final phase of a coronavirus vaccine clinical trial. At this point, half of the people were vaccinated. The companies then waited for people to get sick to see if the vaccine provided any protection.

So far, 94 out of approximately 44,000 participants have contracted 19 cases of Covid. An independent panel examined the patients to see how many had been vaccinated. Finally, the initial analysis showed that the vaccine was more than 90% effective.

 

 

Is 90% effectiveness a good result?

The result is more than adequate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a 50 percent standard for manufacturers who want to submit their vaccine for an emergency permit. Suppose Pfizer and Biotech’s preliminary results remain the same and reflect the product’s performance in the real world correctly. In that case, the immunity of the vaccine will be much greater.

To better understand how good the results are, you can consider licensed vaccines that people receive regularly. At low levels, influenza vaccines are at best 40 to 60 percent effective; Because the flu virus regularly evolves every year.

 

 

Is the Corona Pfizer vaccine safe?

Pfizer and Biotech have not yet reported any significant concerns about the safety of their vaccine. Before conducting a large-scale study, the two companies conducted smaller clinical trials in May specifically designed to detect warning signs about vaccine safety. The manufacturers tested four copies of the vaccine and selected a sample to inject with minimal to moderate side effects such as fever and fatigue.

Suppose the Coronavirus Vaccine is licensed for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and distributed to millions. In that case, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA will ensure no evidence of even rarer problems under recipients’ supervision. There is also no safety. Participants in the current trial will also be monitored for two years.

 

Who will get the Pfizer vaccine first?

According to Pfizer CEO, 30 to 40 million doses of vaccine may be produced by the end of this year. Because the vaccine must be given twice at three-week intervals, this will be enough to vaccinate 15 to 20 million people.

It is still unknown exactly who will receive the initial doses, But groups that are more at risk or more vulnerable will be given priority. Early recipients of the vaccine may be health care workers and older adults, and people with risk factors such as obesity or diabetes.

Pfizer and Biotech say they could increase annual production to 1.3 billion. This is still far from enough to meet the world’s need for vaccines. If the effectiveness of other vaccines is confirmed, companies will help meet market demand by producing them.

 

When will people receive the Pfizer corona vaccine?

Pfizer says it will likely apply for an emergency permit in the third week of November, after collecting bi-monthly safety data and submitting it to the FDA. The FDA will then consult with an external advisory board and possibly spend weeks carefully studying vaccine safety, efficacy, and companies’ ability to produce millions of doses safely.

The vaccine may be urgently approved for injection into high-risk populations before the end of the year, But this will only happen if everything goes according to plan and there are no unforeseen delays.

 

When will the third phase test end?

The trial will continue until the number of cases of Covid 19 reaches 164. At that point, the study will be completed, and the results will be analyzed.

 

Although preliminary results provide some convincing evidence of the vaccine’s effectiveness, it does not tell us exactly how effective it is. Clinical trials are not performed to provide such results and only allow scientists to evaluate statistics’ effectiveness. The effectiveness of the vaccine can only be determined definitively when millions of people receive it. However, experts say preliminary data shows that the effect must be very high.

 

Will the Pfizer vaccine work for older people?

Preliminary trial studies have shown that older people produce a weaker immune response to coronavirus vaccines. Still, with such strong preliminary evidence, they are likely to receive strong protection against the vaccine.

Will children be able to get vaccines?

Another unanswerable question is whether children will receive the immunization vaccine. Participation in the Pfizer and Biontec trials was initially possible for 18 years and older; the creators also made it possible for 16-year-olds to attend in September. They conducted a new experiment last month in partnership with 12-year-olds and planned to provide younger children’s presence.

The medical staff on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus will probably be among the first to receive the Corona vaccine.

There are currently 10 other vaccines in the world in the final stages of testing. The fact that Pfizer and BionTech have achieved encouraging results makes experts optimistic about other competitors.

Pfizer and Biotech are testing a vaccine that uses a genetic molecule called RNA to force our cells to make virus proteins. Our immune systems encounter this protein and make immune cells and antibodies that can quickly detect and attack the protein.

 

Can we stop using the mask now?

Not. The coronavirus is on the rise all over Iran and the world, and experts warn that people must be prepared for a harsh winter.

Even if the vaccine is approved in the coming months, it will only be available to a small group of people in the United States and perhaps some other countries. Most US health officials believe that the effective vaccine will probably not be available to US citizens for another year.

Most experts say that even when the vaccine is widely available, additional measures such as mask use will remain necessary until the threat to public health subsidies. According to Dr. Paul Afit, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the FDA Vaccine Advisory Board, the vaccine is not a substitute for health measures and is an adjunct to their help.

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