Vaccine efficacy

[dad911]

When given in two full-strength doses, AstraZeneca’s vaccine showed 62 percent efficacy in clinical trials — considerably lower than the roughly 95 percent efficacy achieved by Pfizer and Moderna’s shots. For reasons that scientists do not yet understand, AstraZeneca’s vaccine showed 90 percent efficacy in a smaller group of volunteers who were given a half-strength initial dose.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/world/europe/uk-covid-19-vaccine-oxford-astrazeneca.html

Easier to distribute w/o the super refrigeration requirements of Modena, US has apparently secured 300 million doses, but it's not yet approved.

Is 60-70% enough? 90% press release boosted the stock, but does little for my faith.

By securing more doses, is this what the 'Average Joe' gets while those in the loop get the good stuff?

https://www.foxnews.com/health/uk-approves-astrazeneca-oxford-university-covid-19-vaccine

The vaccine was developed using more traditional methods as opposed to the mRNA technology platform that was used for both Moderna and Pfizer’s vaccines.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca option involves an inactivated common cold virus isolated from chimpanzees, altered with genes to express the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

I think I want the high-tech mRNA option.

[Zeke]

I want mine taken from bats in China.

(pfttt)

[LWJ]

I believe the efficacy of most flu shots is about 60%? And then, they miss the strain regularly.

So if you benchmark against other vaccines that we commonly use, it is still a winner.

Me? I want 90+%.

[cabmandone]

FWIW, Pfizer has the need for a crazy low storage temp. Moderna's vaccine can be stored in almost any walk in freezer at -4.

I don't know how a conventional vaccine with the ability to prevent the virus will work against a new strain. I can see how the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines would still offer protection because it would seem to me that the virus would have so significantly change the way it attaches to enters healthy cells.

I'll take what they gimme! But I'd prefer the Moderna vaccine.

From what I've read about the AZ vaccine, they're doing more trials because of the mixup in dosage with the smaller group.

[red-beard]

Anything is better than nothing and the A-Z vaccine can be produced quicker and cheaper.

That said, they are actually looking to delay the second doses of the Vaccines. They "THINK" it will be better to get as many people as possible an initial dose. Once they have most people with an initial dose, they will then start to administer the second dose.

They do not know how effective this will be, as they did not run the trials this way!

I think most of the people who contracted COVID-19 who had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines probably we between the first and second dose and probably in the first week or so.

[Ctopher]

Based on this article stating that the Moderna offers 80% after first dose compared to 50.2% for the Pfizer. Additionally this seemed like a positive for Moderna over the Pfizer “ Some early data suggest that the Moderna vaccine might protect vaccinated people from asymptomatic infections as well as symptomatic disease. While it’s clear that the vaccine, along with Pfizer’s, prevents people from developing COVID-19 symptoms, stopping infections entirely is crucial to curb the coronavirus’ spread and build immunity in communities. ”

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-moderna-vaccine-fda-approval

CTopher

[red-beard]

Very good article. Thanks!