American pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer has released the preliminary data for a large and late-stage of human trials of the Covid-19 vaccine. Pfizer has partnered with Germany based biotech firm, BioNTech to develop this vaccine. The American based drug maker says their Covid-19 vaccine is 90% effective.
During the vaccine trials, over 40,000 people volunteered to take the vaccine and so far no concerns have been raised. According to an article written by James Gallagher of BBC news, the data shows that two doses, three weeks apart, are needed. The trials in US, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Turkey have showed that 90% protection is achieved seven days after the second dose.
However, the data which is presented is based on only the first 94 volunteers to receive the vaccine. This is not the final analysis. When the full results are examined only then the accurate efficacy of the vaccine will be known.
According to US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, if Pfizer submits the positive initial data from its Covid-19 vaccine trial to the health regulators soon, the US government aims to begin vaccinations across America in December. Pfizer is expecting to have the safety data by next week so that it can apply for the emergency use authorization with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Meanwhile US President Donald Trump has accused Pfizer and the FDA for not announcing the Covid-19 vaccine before the election.
In a series of tweets, Trump said that Pfizer and other companies would only announce a Covid vaccine only after the election as they did not have the courage to announce it before. He also tweeted that the FDA should have announced the vaccine before to save lives and not for political purposes.
Trump took a jibe at US President-elect Joe Biden and FDA in a Tweet alleging that had Biden been the President, the country wouldn’t have the vaccine for another four years nor would have FDA have approved it quickly.
Trump in another tweet alleges that the FDA or the Democrats didn’t want him a Vaccine win before the election.
Meanwhile, Biden said that the announcement of the Vaccine gives hope. He congratulated everyone involved in this cause. However, he warned that “the end of the battle against Covid-19 is still months away.”
