What did Pfizer and BioNTech reveal?

The companies have shared partial information from the clinical trial based on the first formal review of the data by an outside panel of experts. While the phase 3 trials are still ongoing in the US, no adverse safety concerns have been observed so far, the company said, according to a report by The New York Times. The trial has enrolled 43,538 volunteers and 38,955 have received their second dose. They would be seeking emergency authorisation of the vaccine later in November after collecting two-month safety data, as per the recommendation. Pfizer would be looking at manufacturing doses for 15-20 million people, according to company executives.

Should this give us hope?

Yes, because it’s a great result, especially to develop a vaccine with such efficiency in the same year as a pandemic. Also, 90 percent efficiency passes the bar of The Food and Drug Administration, who had said that vaccine candidates need 50 percent efficacy for emergency authorisation, reported The New York Times.

How can we so sure about this vaccine? Is it safe?

While these developments are exciting, some questions remain. The announcement reveals only sparse findings from the late-stage trial.

What needs to be done before it becomes available?

Vaccine development is a lengthy process to ensure the utmost safety. Beyond the research and clinical stages, the results also need to be analysed, peer-reviewed and independently vetted.

Who will get the vaccine first?

The big question and it still remains undecided. According to NYT , Pfizer’s chief executive said they could have 30 to 40 million doses of the vaccine before the year-end which is enough for around 15 to 20 million people to get an initial shot and a booster three weeks later.

How does the mNRA vaccine work?

The technology in use is relatively new - it involves using genetic material from the virus called mRNA. This method has not been used to create a vaccine so far. It uses a genetic platform called mRNA, short for messenger RNA, which directs the body’s cells to stimulate the immune system. Moderna, one of the other frontrunners in the vaccine race, is also using an RNA vaccine and is also in phase three trials.

What about other vaccines in the COVID-19 race?

According to the WHO, there are 47 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation and 10 of these are in phase 3 or late-clinical trials. Akiko Iwasaki of Yale University told The New York Times:

Is everything normal now? Can we ditch social distancing and wearing masks?

No! The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and India has 85,91,730 total infections, with 38,073 infections in a day reported The Ministry of Health on Tuesday, 10 November. The coronavirus death count climbed to 1,27,059 with 448 new fatalities. Besides, even if all goes well and the vaccine is developed, it will first go to a small section of the American public, then a larger section, and then the rest of the world. Even within that, each country will decide who gets the first dose, and it will likely be the most vulnerable groups.

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FAQ: Who Will Get Pfizer Vaccine First? Can We Stop Wearing Masks?

With the flurry of excitement around vaccine, a lot of key questions were left unanswered. We break them down.

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Published: 11 Nov 2020, 4:02 PM IST

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There was a collective sigh of relief around the world on 9 November, when drug-maker Pfizer and its partner BioNTech revealed that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate was more than 90 percent effective in preventing the infection.

With the flurry of excitement, a lot of key questions were left unanswered. We break down all you need to know.

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FAQ: Who Will Get Pfizer Vaccine First? Can We Stop Wearing Masks?

With the flurry of excitement around vaccine, a lot of key questions were left unanswered. We break them down.

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