COVID vaccine has more than 90% effectiveness.

[VG_Addict]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/09/heal ... fizer.html

The drug maker Pfizer announced on Monday that an early analysis of its coronavirus vaccine trial suggested the vaccine was robustly effective in preventing Covid-19, a promising development as the world has waited anxiously for any positive news about a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people.

Pfizer, which developed the vaccine with the German drugmaker BioNTech, released only sparse details from its clinical trial, based on the first formal review of the data by an outside panel of experts.

The company said that the analysis found that the vaccine was more than 90 percent effective in preventing the disease among trial volunteers who had no evidence of prior coronavirus infection. If the results hold up, that level of protection would put it on par with highly effective childhood vaccines for diseases such as measles. No serious safety concerns have been observed, the company said.

[steeze]

Honestly, I'm happy that this is the case. However it's kind of suspect that they are now just telling us this after the election. I get that it's a company and you have to take precaution before announcing stuff like this with their investors and there's ramifications in the political sphere but come on. People are dying. The fact they aren't giving details into that first clinical trial throws even more smoke in your face.

[Sim Kid]

Vaccines do take time, and these were really really rushed compared to other vaccines.

[Valigarmander]

We're not quite at the finish line yet.

There are still many unanswered questions as this is only interim data.

We do not know if the vaccine stops you spreading the virus or just from developing symptoms. Or if it works equally well in high-risk elderly people.

The biggest question - how long does immunity last - will take months or potentially years to answer.

There are also massive manufacturing and logistical challenges in immunising huge numbers of people, as the vaccine has to be kept in ultra-cold storage at below minus 80C.

The vaccine appears safe from the large trials so far but nothing, including paracetamol, is 100% safe.

But this is still a major step forward. A vaccine might even be available for a limited number of people by the end of this year.

[CaptHayfever]

As for "how long does immunity last", anything more than a few months could straight up starve this thing to death if enough people get the vaccine in a short enough window of time.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"