Why Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Update Is Reason For Optimism

Pfizer revealed that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate was more than 90 percent efficient against infections in participants without prior infections.

(Photo: The Quint)

As the total cases of coronavirus in the world touch 52 million, with India's overall tally alone standing at 8.6 million, the progress in the COVID vaccine candidate being developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech is certainly good news.

The pharma giants have revealed that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate BNT162b2 was more than 90 percent efficient against infections in participants without prior infections.

Although the results are yet to be approved by US drug regulator FDA, the pharma company said it was hopeful about being able to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses globally by the end of 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

But what does this announcement exactly mean? Are we close to developing a COVID vaccination? How long before it becomes available in India? Tune in to The Big Story!