So much for Loser Trump's claim that nobody would be talking about the pandemic after November 3rd.
We still lead the world in cases, 113,822 new cases in the last day.
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 didn't take any government money, they didn't want to be wrapped up in the Trump-politicized Operation Warp Speed.
A couple of qualms: This is the preliminary analysis of the data, so we don't know if the 90% effective claim will hold up. Second, the transport requirements (the vaccine has to be stored and transported at -70degC [-94degF]) may be problematic for distribution.
There's a lot more to learn about this vaccine. Those who remember the 1970s may feel a need to be cautious.
By the way, the University of Notre Dame is full of idiots, right up to its president. If you or your kids are looking at schools, consider going somewhere else.
The refrigeration requirement is all the more problematic considering that it's a two dose vaccine, which will limit it's usefulness in remote areas.
ReplyDeleteStill, I'll take good news where I can get it.
Have my suspicions about the "not a part of operation warp speed" pronouncement, as in perhaps they want to reserve the right to get really really really wealthy off of it.
-Doug in Sugar Pine
On the other hand, we do get a lot of good Computer Science interns out of Notre Dame. So it's not the entire student body that's idiots.
ReplyDeleteI'm dubious about the Pfizer vaccine because of the storage and transport issues. It apparently has to stay frozen at -70C for the entire journey between the factory where it is made and the final injection point. Transporting this thing is going to be a royal pain in the butt, you can't just put it in a cooler and stuff it in the belly of an airliner, it has to be in a specially refrigerated freezer case. If it gets warmer than -70C then gets re-frozen, it ruins the vaccine because it breaks the protein capsules so that they no longer look like COVID-19. There are some big city medical centers that are going to be able to handle this vaccine, but you're not going to see Walgreens vaccinating people with it.
Notre Dame is proof God doesn't give a flying fig about football.
ReplyDeleteThat link to the image of the football field crammed with idiots....wearing fluorescent lime green.....made me think of a green screen movie studio backdrop. You could map just about anything atop that crowd
ReplyDeleteThe big deal is they can make a vaccine that has some effectivity.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it a big deal? One of things is that gives us the potential
prevention for the common cold which is is Rhino virus and the other
is a family of corona virus (not 19). IF we can beat Covid-19 maybe
a prevention for the common cold is around the corner too.
Pfizers vaccine is only the first, I suspect there will be others that
may be easier to handle and widely distribute.
Still many more question to answer but its a start.
Eck!