Pfizer has claimed its experimental vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19. However, this is based on initial data from a large study.
Highlights:
- Pfizer says the vaccine was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19.
- Study enrolled 43,538 participants, with 42% having diverse backgrounds.
- Safety and additional efficacy data continue to be collected.
When will the people get this vaccine? Listen to this interview:
Medical advisor at the Department of Health, Dr Deepak Rai, says we still don't have the details of safety and efficacy data to make a final judgement.
"This is very encouraging and can be a major victory in the fight against the pandemic. But, we still don't know the details of the efficacy results and how the extrapolation has been done to conclude the efficacy results," said Dr Rai.
Pfizer and BioNTech have jointly developed the vaccine. Phase 3 trial of this vaccine is still ongoing, and the results are interim.
The scientific community has reacted positively to the results but with a hint of caution.
World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the news was "encouraging".
England's Chief Medical Officer and the Department of Health and Social Care's Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Chris Witty says it is a reason for optimism in 2021.
He tweeted, "Preliminary news that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is effective demonstrates the power of science against COVID. We must see the final safety and efficacy data, but it is very encouraging.
It is essential we continue to suppress COVID, but it is a reason for optimism for 2021.
Pfizer said, "Efficacy in the majority of participants, safety data and consistent manufacturing are the three requirements that are needed before we are able to file for Emergency Use Authorization."
The companies expect to supply up to 50 million vaccine doses globally by the end of this year and up to 1.3 billion in 2021.
Dr Rai thinks that if all the results are positive, then people could have the vaccine in the first half of 2021.
"The process from here is complicated and long. The vaccine, if successful, will have to go through many stages of evaluation before reaching to the people," said Dr Rai.
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