Last week, BioNTech announced that the vaccine, developed in collaboration with leading pharmaceutical company Pfizer, is more than 90 percent effective, according to preliminary data from the latest phase of clinical trials. About 43,000 people are currently taking the tests. This is a vaccine that is one of 11 that are currently in the final stages of testing. The European Commission has already signed an agreement with the Group on the supply of the promised vaccine to the countries of the European Union, including the Czech Republic. The EU is to contract 200 million benefits with the possibility of another 100 million, the contract said.
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Professor Ugur Sahin, co-founder of BioNTech and one of the creators of the promised vaccine, said the impact of vaccination would increase significantly in the summer and life should return to normal by next winter. According to him, this winter will still be difficult. Professor Sahin has previously stated that the epidemic situation could stabilize by the spring. However, he later admitted that higher vaccination results would occur later. “Summer will help us because the rate of infection will drop in the summer – and what is absolutely crucial is that we will have a high vaccination rate by the autumn / winter of next year or earlier,” said the professor.
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In an interview with BBC He said he believed the vaccine could halve human transmission, which he said would be important. “I am very sure that human transmission will be reduced by such a highly effective vaccine – perhaps not by 90%, but perhaps by 50%. But we should not forget that even this could lead to a dramatic reduction in the spread of the pandemic, “said Sahin.
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According to him, if all goes well, they would start delivering the vaccine “late this year, early next year.” The goal of pharmaceutical companies is to deliver more than 300 million doses worldwide by next April.
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For example, Britain expects to receive 10 million doses of the new vaccine by the end of the year, with another 30 million doses already ordered. According to the BBC, the vaccine, which has been tested in six countries, is given in two doses three weeks apart. Preference will probably be given to older residents and staff in care homes and medical staff.
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Uncertain certainty
Of course, the vaccine has raised confidence that the end of the pandemic is near, but there are some major uncertainties, according to BBC editor Michelle Roberts. The use of the new anti-coronavirus vaccine, like any other, requires regulatory approval. The authorities will only issue it if they see that the vaccine is working safely. The first results look very good, but in the coming weeks we will look at the complete ones, writes Roberts. Another reason for the uncertainty, she said, is that there is no data to show how well the vaccine works in those who need it most, especially in the elderly. Among other things, Roberts emphasizes that the process of successful immunization will also take some time.
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Experts expect an answer to the question about the effectiveness of the vaccine in the elderly in the next three weeks. Sahin also states that it is not yet known how long the patients’ immunity will last after the second dose of the vaccine.
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Among the “key side effects” of the vaccine so far, according to Professor Sahin, was mild to moderate pain at the injection site for several days. Some participants had a mild to moderate fever after a similar period. “We did not notice any other serious side effects that would lead to the suspension or cessation of the study,” he added.
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