Possible vaccine

[Dave Grubb]

From today's WSJ:

A vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. PFE 0.03% and partner BioNTech SE proved better than expected at protecting people from Covid-19 in a pivotal study, a milestone in the hunt for shots that can stop the global pandemic.

The vaccine proved to be more than 90% effective in the first 94 subjects who were infected by the new coronavirus and developed at least one symptom, the companies said Monday.

The positive, though incomplete, results bring the vaccine a big step closer to getting cleared for widespread use.

Pfizer said it is on track to ask health regulators for permission to sell the shot before the end of this month, if pending data indicate the vaccine is safe.

The timetable suggests the vaccine could go into distribution this month or next, though U.S. health regulators have indicated they will take some time to conduct their review.

I'll be in that line

[Independent Voter]

Brought to you as a result of Operation Warp Speed . Which in case you have forgotten was authorized by ;;;;;;;;;;;; what is the name I'm trying to remember .....Ah yes, President Trump .

[CactusCurt]

Would you like a stock market prediction now?

[Roland_Jenkins]

I don't want to be the first in line. Cautiously optimistic.

[FredK]

I don't want to be the first in line. Cautiously optimistic.

2nd that 90% might be great but in school that was usually a B.

[FredK]

Brought to you as a result of Operation Warp Speed . Which in case you have forgotten was authorized by ;;;;;;;;;;;; what is the name I'm trying to remember .....Ah yes, President Trump .

Might have to back the freight train up on that IV...

Mike Pence has broken his post-election silence to trumpet the Trump administration’s backing of a new coronavirus vaccine - only for the company to immediately point out that their vaccine had nothing to do with the government.

Pfizer announced on Monday morning that their Covid-19 vaccine was 90 per cent effective, in early trials.

"HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President @realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90% of its volunteers," tweeted Mr Pence.

But the New York-based company was quick with a clarification.

Dr Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer’s head of vaccine development, told the New York Times: “We were never part of the Warp Speed ... We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone.”

Operation Warp Speed is a $12 billion government programme, begun in May, to get a vaccine to 300 million Americans.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pence-bre...142719638.html

[Mike]

A vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. PFE 0.03% and partner BioNTech SE proved better than expected at protecting people from Covid-19 in a pivotal study, a milestone in the hunt for shots that can stop the global pandemic.

Damn, Biden works fast!!!

[Dave Grubb]

There is an interesting corollary here. Operation warp speed seems to be a well planned program, heavily focused on rapid distribution of any vaccine once it became available--all under the management of the Army and executed by Fed-Ex. Sixty Minutes did a segment on this last night. It is a rather complex plan of how to equitably and quickly deliver many millions of doses throughout the country in containers that can hold the vaccine at safe temperatures or to distribution centers (hospitals) that have super cold freezers.

From the WSJ:

The race to distribute Covid-19 vaccines to hundreds of millions of Americans could come down to one question: Do we have enough freezers?

Some of the shots now in late stages of testing must be stored at temperatures potentially as cold as minus 80 degrees Celsius, or minus 112 Fahrenheit, similar to conditions for transporting ice cream and steaks to supermarkets and eventually to people’s doorsteps.

Hospitals, pharmacies and physicians’ offices are expected to be vaccination sites, but they have few such specialized freezers. That is prompting a mad dash by logistics, public-health and drug-industry officials to cobble together a cold-storage supply chain that can deliver vaccines around the country without letting them become warm and ineffective.

Pfizer, not being part of the federal program has done all that on their own, including the design and fabrication of specialized shipping containers.

[CactusCurt]

Might have to back the freight train up on that IV...



https://www.yahoo.com/news/pence-bre...142719638.html

This begs the question: did corporate political considerations determine when the announcement was made? I have been in board rooms and such questions are not unprecedented.........

[FredK]

This begs the question: did corporate political considerations determine when the announcement was made? I have been in board rooms and such questions are not unprecedented.........

Probably no more than Regan bring home the Iran hostages.

[Dave Grubb]

This begs the question: did corporate political considerations determine when the announcement was made? I have been in board rooms and such questions are not unprecedented.........

Based on their knowledge of others pursuing this goal--and being close to it, plus the jolt this announcement made to their stock price---which obviously they would have expected---I doubt there were external political considerations.

[CactusCurt]

Probably no more than Regan bring home the Iran hostages.

What are you babbling about?

[CactusCurt]

Based on their knowledge of others pursuing this goal--and being close to it, plus the jolt this announcement made to their stock price---which obviously they would have expected---I doubt there were external political considerations.

You are probably right. I have seen $$$,$$$ spent on lawyers negotiating 1 or 2 day changes to release dates for public statements. That's what makes it worth pondering. Corporations are ruthless in their "government outreach".

While a day or two may not matter in managing the pandemic, it could certainly influence an election.