Yahoo News 'Milestone' COVID-19 Vaccine Offers 90% Protection, Preliminary Analysis Shows
A first-of-its-kind coronavirus vaccine could prevent over 90 per cent of people contracting COVID-19, a preliminary analysis has proven.
Developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the analysis marks a "great day for science and humanity", after the vaccine was tested on 43,500 people across six countries. No safety concerns had been raised and both development companies will apply for emergency approval for vaccine use by the end of November.
The vaccine is one of approximately a dozen others that have been fast-tracked to the final stages of testing — also known as 'phase three' trials — but is the first to show results, providing some hope that there is a way out of new localised lockdowns.
The vaccine works by injecting a part of coronavirus' genetic code into the patient, to help 'train' the body to produce an immune response. Two doses, taken three weeks apart, are required for the vaccine, which was tested in the US, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Turkey.
"We are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis," said Dr Albert Bourla, the chairman of Pfizer. "
"This news made me smile from ear to ear," said Professor Peter Horby, at the University of Oxford. "It is a relief... there is a long long way to go before vaccines will start to make a real difference, but this feels to me like a watershed moment."
"The NHS stands ready to begin a vaccination programme for those most at risk once a Covid-19 vaccine is available", said a UK Prime Minister spokesperson.
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