Covid-19 Vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech 90% Effective - Update 11/9/20

[mianmike]

2 minutes ago, travelhound said:

Yup, the anti vaxxers will actually make it easier for those who want to get a vaccine 🙂

 

I'm counting on it.  Ready to get vaccinated and start getting back to life (traveling). 

[njhorseman]

39 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I even saw a news story that distribution of the vaccine may even begin by the end of this month!

Pfizer's press release says that the application for Emergency Use Authorization might be made by the third week of November...it doesn't say a word about distribution of the vaccine:

 

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

 

"Submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planned for soon after the required safety milestone is achieved, which is currently expected to occur in the third week of November"

 

Further, they only expect to produce up to 50 million doses globally by the end of 2020, so even if everything goes ahead at full speed not a lot of people are going to be vaccinated any time soon.

Edited November 9, 2020 by njhorseman

[PhillyTravelBug]

It’s been quite a seven day stretch of positivity! Great news!

[slavetoabunny]

I am not an anti-vaxxer and yes, I do wear my mask.  I get my tetanus, etc. but I have not gotten a flu vaccination in 13 years (and haven't gotten the flu), and I will not be rushing out to get a brand spanking new vaccine anytime soon.  I've resigned myself to not cruising again for a long time.  With all the restrictions, it seems like you're paying a lot of money to be on a prison ship.  I've already cancelled two cruises and with the $10,000 in refunds I received am looking at alternatives.

[farmersfight]

1 hour ago, mianmike said:

(traveling).

(traveling) = (cruising!)

[farmersfight]

11 minutes ago, slavetoabunny said:

I will not be rushing out to get a brand spanking new vaccine anytime soon.  I've resigned myself to not cruising again for a long time. 

 You're choice (and you have every right to it). But for me, give me the shot or shots (if 2 are required)!!

 

P.S. no shot glass memes please, we've already been through that.

[BirdTravels]

42 minutes ago, slavetoabunny said:

 I've already cancelled two cruises and with the $10,000 in refunds I received am looking at alternatives.

Alternatives that are COVID free were a vaccine is not needed?

[GA Dave]

2 hours ago, slavetoabunny said:

I am not an anti-vaxxer and yes, I do wear my mask.  I get my tetanus, etc. but I have not gotten a flu vaccination in 13 years (and haven't gotten the flu), and I will not be rushing out to get a brand spanking new vaccine anytime soon.  I've resigned myself to not cruising again for a long time.  With all the restrictions, it seems like you're paying a lot of money to be on a prison ship.  I've already cancelled two cruises and with the $10,000 in refunds I received am looking at alternatives.

And if your employer mandates it?  What then.  My employer gave every employee who got the free flu vaccine this year a $25 gift card.  I am hoping for at least $100 for the Covid vaccine!  🤣

[MsTabbyKats]

3 hours ago, slavetoabunny said:

I am not an anti-vaxxer and yes, I do wear my mask.  I get my tetanus, etc. but I have not gotten a flu vaccination in 13 years (and haven't gotten the flu), and I will not be rushing out to get a brand spanking new vaccine anytime soon.  I've resigned myself to not cruising again for a long time.  With all the restrictions, it seems like you're paying a lot of money to be on a prison ship.  I've already cancelled two cruises and with the $10,000 in refunds I received am looking at alternatives.

I never had a flu vaccine because I never had the flu....that's until I was 65.  After that experience, I'd never go without it.

[4774Papa]

5 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Pfizer's press release says that the application for Emergency Use Authorization might be made by the third week of November...it doesn't say a word about distribution of the vaccine:

 

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

 

"Submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planned for soon after the required safety milestone is achieved, which is currently expected to occur in the third week of November"

 

Further, they only expect to produce up to 50 million doses globally by the end of 2020, so even if everything goes ahead at full speed not a lot of people are going to be vaccinated any time soon.

According to this article, the vaccine will be distributed, as follows: 

CVS prepared to vaccinate general public by early 2021 

As for when the general public will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine remains unclear, but Cox says CVS will be prepared to begin vaccinating the general public "within the first couple of months of 2021."

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-vaccine-distributed-approved-fda/story?id=73889186

 

[njhorseman]

57 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

According to this article, the vaccine will be distributed, as follows: 

CVS prepared to vaccinate general public by early 2021 

As for when the general public will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine remains unclear, but Cox says CVS will be prepared to begin vaccinating the general public "within the first couple of months of 2021."

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-vaccine-distributed-approved-fda/story?id=73889186

 

Well...this article says it's going to be quite difficult for the Pfizer vaccine to be be distributed by doctors and pharmacies  because of the extremely low temperature requirement for its storage. Even the Mayo Clinic even says they currently don't have the facilities to store it. It's going to especially be a real problem in rural areas.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccines-distribut/why-pfizers-ultra-cold-covid-19-vaccine-will-not-be-at-the-local-pharmacy-any-time-soon-idUSKBN27P2VI

 

In any event "early 2021" isn't the end of this month, which is when the post I was replying to said that distribution might start.

Edited November 10, 2020 by njhorseman

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

According to this article, the vaccine will be distributed, as follows: 

CVS prepared to vaccinate general public by early 2021 

As for when the general public will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine remains unclear, but Cox says CVS will be prepared to begin vaccinating the general public "within the first couple of months of 2021."

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-vaccine-distributed-approved-fda/story?id=73889186

 

If you are generally healthy and are not on the front line (i.e., Phase 3 vaccinations), it will be a long time before you'll get vaccinated at a CVS in Georgia.

 

https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/covid-19-vaccination-plan-georgia/download

 

[hamrag]

17 hours ago, Wayfairers said:

....I have never understood people who resist getting vaccinations.  I’m sure there will people who don’t get this one, unfortunately....

How about coining a new word for such.....vacc-idiot!

[hamrag]

11 hours ago, slavetoabunny said:

I am not an anti-vaxxer and yes, I do wear my mask.  I get my tetanus, etc. but I have not gotten a flu vaccination in 13 years (and haven't gotten the flu), and I will not be rushing out to get a brand spanking new vaccine anytime soon.....

👏 🙄

[sverigecruiser]

9 hours ago, GA Dave said:

And if your employer mandates it? 

 

Is that a common thing in the US? I doubt that any employer, maybe the army is an exception, can mandate any vaccinations here.

 

I don't mind to take it myself but I will not do it during the first months it's available.

[farmersfight]

7 hours ago, njhorseman said:

In any event "early 2021" isn't the end of this month, which is when the post I was replying to said that distribution might start.

 

From that ABC News article;

 

"Roughly a third of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have occurred among residents of long-term care facilities. CVS claims it's prepared to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines in those facilities before the end of the year if one is approved."

 

Key words in my post were may even begin. And I did see that report so, no B.S. Even if not by the end of this month (Nov), by the end of the year (Dec) according to CVS. Only a month later. Bottom line; this is great news!

 

Also from that ABC News article;

 

"As for when the general public will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine remains unclear, but Cox says CVS will be prepared to begin vaccinating the general public "within the first couple of months of 2021."

 

Again, great news!

Edited November 10, 2020 by farmersfight

[farmersfight]

7 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

If you are generally healthy and are not on the front line (i.e., Phase 3 vaccinations), it will be a long time before you'll get vaccinated at a CVS in Georgia.

 

https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/covid-19-vaccination-plan-georgia/download

 

 

This was Georgia's vaccination plan that was published Oct 15, 2020. The ABC News article on CVS vaccine distribution to LTC facilities (by end of this year) and available to the general public (first couple of months of 2021) was published Oct 29, 2020, so more recent news. I don't consider the first couple of months of 2021 to be "a long time". And why would a CVS in Georgia be any different and take longer than any other state?

 

[Formula280SS]

51 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

From that ABC News article;

 

"Roughly a third of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have occurred among residents of long-term care facilities. CVS claims it's prepared to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines in those facilities before the end of the year if one is approved."

 

Key words in my post were may even begin. And I did see that report so, no B.S. Even if not by the end of this month (Nov), by the end of the year (Dec) according to CVS. Only a month later. Bottom line; this is great news!

 

Also from that ABC News article;

 

"As for when the general public will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine remains unclear, but Cox says CVS will be prepared to begin vaccinating the general public "within the first couple of months of 2021."

 

Again, great news!

 

Of course it's great news.  Thanks.

 

Note the unhappiness.

[tulch]

Does anyone else remember the difficulty in getting shot #2 of the shingles vaccine, just a couple of years ago?  You were supposed to get the second injection three months after the first.  But the vaccine was so "popular" the waitlist became 8 months long in many areas. 

 

Everyone worries about those not wanting to receive the Covid-19 vaccination.  But for those who do, what if the supply for the second vaccine is not available in the recommended timeframe? 

 

The Pfizer and Moderna trials are at about the same point in their clinical trials.  Both use a similar mRNA approach.  Yet, it is not clear whether you could have shot #1 from Moderna, and #2 from Pfizer (or vice-versa) if there is a shortage of one brand.  Other vaccines use a different approach and may not be interchangeable at all (if Pfizer and Moderna vaccines indeed could be mixed).  Hence, even when a vaccine is "widely" available, it may be a long time before those who want a Covid-19 vaccination can receive the full course.

 

I hope someone reading this has better -- and more positive -- information that proves my concerns wrong.

[slavetoabunny]

13 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Alternatives that are COVID free were a vaccine is not needed?

I'm considering renting a private vacation home within driving distance.

[slavetoabunny]

11 hours ago, GA Dave said:

And if your employer mandates it?  What then.  My employer gave every employee who got the free flu vaccine this year a $25 gift card.  I am hoping for at least $100 for the Covid vaccine!  🤣

I've worked at home since 2009.

[Formula280SS]

7 minutes ago, tulch said:

Hence, even when a vaccine is "widely" available, it may be a long time before those who want a Covid-19 vaccination can receive the full course.

 

 

Likely on point.  Also, it looks like the first thing to consider when reading about "number of doses" that Pfizer is preliminarily disclosing will be available (and when) is that it appears that we have to "divide by 2" for the required 2-dose regimen of the vaccine?

 

[SpainAlien]

We saw an interview with a doctor today who said that the vaccine is distributed in 1000 dose vials that once opened had to be used within 7 days. That means that during the course of a week each location has to vaccinate almost 150 people per day, no mean feat

 

 

[CptBoatface]

 Certain states will run any vaccine through their own criteria in conjunction with other local states. Because power is nice to wield.  And these inter state agreements are expressly banned by the Constitution. So some of us will be forced to wait even if available.

[Formula280SS]

25 minutes ago, SpainAlien said:

We saw an interview with a doctor today who said that the vaccine is distributed in 1000 dose vials that once opened had to be used within 7 days. That means that during the course of a week each location has to vaccinate almost 150 people per day, no mean feat

 

 

 

That's another good consideration. 

 

I haven't seen that interview but have read quite a bit and have alerts set for news and it is consistent with the desire expressed months ago for states to prepare their mobilization plans for vaccine distribution.

 

Also, a recurring math question, is "if the vaccine requires 2-doses," doesn't that mean ~

 

~  the example 150 per day is really only 70.

 

~  the published comments on number of doses and timing, divided by 2 and considering the above post on shelf-life, it's more likely than not that vaccination of the general population will be well into 2021?

 

Also, then ~

 

~  of course, additional vaccines with comparable effectiveness (still reading about effectiveness versus efficacy 🙃) and the manufacturing cumulative dose capabilities will greatly impact this timeline.

 

~  finally, the Pfizer dose availabilities are 'global amounts (I believe); there doesn't seem to be a exclusivity to USA, CA etc. populations and would seem (IMO) to be immoral and unethical to move below the at risk categories and essential workers in the USA, CA etc. before such resources are allocated to other Pfizer contracting countries with similarly identified at risk categories and essential workers.

 

Regardless, it's good news and a light at the end of the tunnel.