Pfizer news from today

[Queenjacko]

Just wondering if any other Canadians are reading about the Pfizer interim results posted today in regards to trips planned in 2021 and what your thoughts are. I have a trip planned for mid February and I think I’ll have to push it but I’m optimistic I won’t have to push it very far given this news.

 

[hdrolfe]

I've been watching, but I think it's more likely the average person would be able to get the immunizations by fall, they will prioritize front line workers and probably the elderly, those at risk. It does give me hope for the first time in ages though.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I'm liking the fact that they are saying it will be 90% effective without a booster.

 

[bababear_50]

Seems like they have offices here in Canada but Manufacturing is in Australia
Perth
Melbourne
and Adelaide
Pfizer Canada
https://www.pfizer.ca/https://www.pfizer.com/products/product-contact-informationhttps://www.pfizer.com.au/about-us/manufacturing
Hugs
Mel

 

[Queenjacko]

I'm liking the fact that they are saying it will be 90% effective without a booster.

I thought it was a 2 shot vaccination, one on day one, second shot on day 21. 90% effective on day 28.

 

[Starwind]

CBC has a good article about it: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pfiz...gnals-covid-19-vaccine-is-effective-1.5794899

Among other data points:

" Canada announced on Aug. 5 that it had preordered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It later specified that it had reserved 20 million doses, with the option to purchase more. Given that the vaccine is administered as two doses, 28 days apart, Canada would initially have enough to vaccinate 10 million people if it is approved. "

Here is the Pfizer press release: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

Note "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021."

From other reporting, the UK purchased 40 million doses. In July it was reported the U.S. government placed an initial order of 100 million doses for $1.95 billion and can acquire up to 500 million additional doses. Presumably other countries have also placed advance orders.

I think once they start divying up available doses among countries, it means it will be well into 2021 before the bulk of the Canadian public is able to get vaccinated... it may even stretch into 2022. And we'd have to acquire more doses than the government has already pre-purchased.

Earth has a population of some 8 billion. By the end of 2021 they'll only have enough doses to have vaccinated 650-700 million. Most of the planet will remain unvaccinated by the end of 2021 unless some of the other vaccine candidates are also successful. Which I think will translate into continued travel restrictions and border closures of at least some degree. On a practical "Disney" level... it may mean if cruising resumes only people from certain countries would be allowed to sail, or you have to prove vaccination [like you do now for yellow fever if you travel to certain countries] or things like that; likewise continued restrictions on visitors entering the US which affects the demographics of those visiting WDW.

And it raises interesting questions... eg at point would Canada lift its global travel advisory and shift to just country by country advisories ?

 

[bcwife76]

It's certainly the best news we've had on the vaccine front so far during this Pandemic! I'm cautiously optimistic, but we still have a ways to go.

 

[pigletto]

CBC has a good article about it: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pfiz...gnals-covid-19-vaccine-is-effective-1.5794899

Among other data points:

" Canada announced on Aug. 5 that it had preordered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It later specified that it had reserved 20 million doses, with the option to purchase more. Given that the vaccine is administered as two doses, 28 days apart, Canada would initially have enough to vaccinate 10 million people if it is approved. "

Here is the Pfizer press release: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

Note "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021."

From other reporting, the UK purchased 40 million doses. In July it was reported the U.S. government placed an initial order of 100 million doses for $1.95 billion and can acquire up to 500 million additional doses. Presumably other countries have also placed advance orders.

I think once they start divying up available doses among countries, it means it will be well into 2021 before the bulk of the Canadian public is able to get vaccinated... it may even stretch into 2022. And we'd have to acquire more doses than the government has already pre-purchased.

Earth has a population of some 8 billion. By the end of 2021 they'll only have enough doses to have vaccinated 650-700 million. Most of the planet will remain unvaccinated by the end of 2021 unless some of the other vaccine candidates are also successful. Which I think will translate into continued travel restrictions and border closures of at least some degree. On a practical "Disney" level... it may mean if cruising resumes only people from certain countries would be allowed to sail, or you have to prove vaccination [like you do now for yellow fever if you travel to certain countries] or things like that; likewise continued restrictions on visitors entering the US which affects the demographics of those visiting WDW.

And it raises interesting questions... eg at point would Canada lift its global travel advisory and shift to just country by country advisories ?

Agreed on all points. I’d be willing to bet that it will be late 2021 , or more likely into 2022 before we will be able to get it.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I thought it was a 2 shot vaccination, one on day one, second shot on day 21. 90% effective on day 28.

I didn’t see that mentioned in the articles I read. They just referred to “the shot” will be 90% effective”.

 

[Starwind]

I thought it was a 2 shot vaccination, one on day one, second shot on day 21. 90% effective on day 28.

Yes. The Pfizer vaccine is two shots/doses, 21 days apart.

See https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

"indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose. This means that protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination, which consists of a 2-dose schedule."

SW

 

[quandrea]

I’m hoping our family will be one of the first eligible. Dh is over 55, severe asthma, hypertension (well managed), history of pneumonia. We’ve been shielding quite rigorously since March. They say people at high risk and those that could transmit to them will be prioritised. Sure hope so.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Just be informed as to " how " this vaccine works. First off...it works by changing the antibody cell by changing the proteins in the cell. This is NOT like all other immunizations that we get. This is literally changing genetic makeup of the antibody cells are in our body. How is that going to affect us in 2, 5 10 years...by having our antibody cells literally modified and changed?

Also...they have zero idea of how long it is effective for. Is this is once and done type of immunization? Are you safe for 2, 4, six months or 2 years or more?

The medical community is already saying that the covid virus is mutating and changing just like influenza and colds that go around every year. So who is to say that this immunization will be effective in 2 yrs from now.

This is very hopeful news...but it is still very early to tell what the long term effects will be on a body. The fact that they are changing the molecular makeup of the cell has me wondering about the long term effect on anyone who gets this immunization. On the other hand...this could be a break through to treat many other illnesses!

 

[pigletto]

I am by no means an ”anti vaxxer” but that also doesn’t mean I will blindly and eagerly accept every thing I’m told , especially from a pharmaceutical company. I agree with @Pumpkin1172 that this is very hopeful news but I will be watching carefully to see how this plays out. I have no problem waiting until I’m comfortable with the information I’m hearing.

ETA) and realistically, we have quite awhile to wait and watch anyway.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

I am by no means an " anti vaxer " either. I depend on people to immunize for measels. I have had measels 3 times now in my life. I do not build an immunity to them. The last time I had them I got very sick. So I am very much for getting immunized.

But this one, I will probably not be lining up right away for.

This could also be the start of a real medical break through on how to treat other illnesses...you just never know. I am sure people thought Alexander Flemming was off his rocker when he started treating infections with what was essentially mold!!!!

It is encouraging news to hear that they have maybe found a vaccine for covid so quickly!!!!

 

[Sue M]

I’m hoping our family will be one of the first eligible. Dh is over 55, severe asthma, hypertension (well managed), history of pneumonia. We’ve been shielding quite rigorously since March. They say people at high risk and those that could transmit to them will be prioritised. Sure hope so.

I’m hopeful too, since DH has underlying conditions too that we’d be prioritized, also DD works in daycare.

Just be informed as to " how " this vaccine works. First off...it works by changing the antibody cell by changing the proteins in the cell. This is NOT like all other immunizations that we get. This is literally changing genetic makeup of the antibody cells are in our body. How is that going to affect us in 2, 5 10 years...by having our antibody cells literally modified and changed?

Also...they have zero idea of how long it is effective for. Is this is once and done type of immunization? Are you safe for 2, 4, six months or 2 years or more?

The medical community is already saying that the covid virus is mutating and changing just like influenza and colds that go around every year. So who is to say that this immunization will be effective in 2 yrs from now.

This is very hopeful news...but it is still very early to tell what the long term effects will be on a body. The fact that they are changing the molecular makeup of the cell has me wondering about the long term effect on anyone who gets this immunization. On the other hand...this could be a break through to treat many other illnesses!

Very interesting Pumpkin. I didn’t realize it changes the molecular makeup. Although now that I think about it I do recall something about DNA/RNA. Kinda scary but also exciting implications.

 

[MamaLema]

Just be informed as to " how " this vaccine works. First off...it works by changing the antibody cell by changing the proteins in the cell. This is NOT like all other immunizations that we get. This is literally changing genetic makeup of the antibody cells are in our body. How is that going to affect us in 2, 5 10 years...by having our antibody cells literally modified and changed?

If this is true, if people have a baby, will it be born with modified cells? Lots to think about. I will have to research this to death before making a decision for this vaccine.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

umm, errr, I don't think this all sounds very healthy in the long term.

 

[Lsdolphin]

umm, errr, I don't think this all sounds very healthy in the long term.

Neither does COVID-19...

 

[pangyal]

That’s really not how RNA vaccines work. Nothing is being altered in your cells, and your DNA is not being modified either. All an RNA vaccine does, to put it simply, is to provide your body with something that could be seen as a “recipe” which shows it how to create an antibody to a specific protein (in this case, the spike protein). An RNA vaccine cannot change any molecular composition of cells and cannot “overwrite” anything that is currently there. It’s simply a roadmap to creating an antibody. It’s seen as much safer than traditional vaccines for the very reason that it simply cannot disrupt existing DNA or cell structure.

 

[ronandannette]

That’s really not how RNA vaccines work. Nothing is being altered in your cells, and your DNA is not being modified either. All an RNA vaccine does, to put it simply, is to provide your body with something that could be seen as a “recipe” which shows it how to create an antibody to a specific protein (in this case, the spike protein). An RNA vaccine cannot change any molecular composition of cells and cannot “overwrite” anything that is currently there. It’s simply a roadmap to creating an antibody. It’s seen as much safer than traditional vaccines for the very reason that it simply cannot disrupt existing DNA or cell structure.

Thank you. This is also a fairly easy to understand description from the highly respected PHG think-tank at the University of Cambridge in England. One thing to note is that the development of this type of vaccine has been in the works for a long while, by many companies including BioNTech (Pfizer). Of course the great need for a Covid vaccine has accelerated work in this direction; it's not that they dreamed this method up overnight. That old saying comes to mind: "Necessity is the mother of invention; desperation is the father."
https://www.phgfoundation.org/briefing/rna-vaccines