The American multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer revealed on Monday that early analysis of its coronavirus vaccine trial proved that the vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19, a promising result as the world waits on edge for any positive news about a pandemic that has put life on hold.
Pfizer, which developed the vaccine with the German drugmaker BioNTech, released only limited details from its clinical study, based on the initial formal review of the data by an outside panel of experts.
The developers described it as a “great day for science and humanity”, as their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been mentioned.
Company executives have announced that Pfizer plans to request the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorisation of the two-dose vaccine by the end of this month, after it has collected the recommended two months of safety data.
It is estimated that Pfizer will manufacture enough doses to immunize 15 million to 20 million people by the end of 2020.
“This is a historical moment,” said Kathrin Jansen, a senior vice president and the head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer. “This was a devastating situation, a pandemic, and we have embarked on a path and a goal that nobody ever has achieved to come up with a vaccine within a year.”
There are still some challenges ahead for the vaccine, but the announcement has been positively embraced worldwide as it sparked hope in people who were getting accustomed to living with a pandemic.
As the scientists and developers continue to work on the vaccine, people are urged to continue doing their part by wearing a mask, social distancing, and staying safe.
