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COVID-19

Breakthrough in Coronavirus Vaccine: Pfizer's Jab Proves Over 90% Effective

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A significant breakthrough in the fight against the coronavirus has been announced, with Pfizer's vaccine found to be more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19. The pharmaceutical giant and its partner BioNTech have reported interim results from their phase three trial, which showed the vaccine can protect people against the virus. The findings have sparked optimism, with the Prime Minister urging the public to stick to Covid-19 rules despite the promising news.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been tested on over 43,500 people in six countries, with no safety concerns raised.
  • Interim results suggest the vaccine is 90% effective in protecting people against Covid-19.
  • 94 volunteers developed Covid-19, but the vaccine was effective in preventing the virus in 87 of them.
  • The vaccine has been shown to produce both an antibody and T-cell response in the body to fight coronavirus.
  • The UK has secured 40 million doses of the vaccine, with 10 million set to be procured by the end of the year.
  • The vaccine will be administered in two doses, and not enough shots have been secured for the entire UK population.
  • About 12 Covid-19 vaccines are currently in the final stages of testing worldwide.
  • The Pfizer and BioNTech plan to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval by the end of the month.

Statistics:

  • 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been ordered by the UK Government.
  • 10 million doses of the vaccine are set to be procured by the end of the year.
  • The vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries.
  • 94 volunteers developed Covid-19 during the trial.
  • 87 of the 94 volunteers who developed Covid-19 were prevented from doing so using the vaccine.
  • 1.3 billion vaccine doses are expected to be produced globally in 2021.
  • The FTSE 100 jumped 5.5% following the news, adding £82 billion to the value of its shares in the market's best day since March.
  • 9,136 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in Bristol since the virus arrived in March.
  • 2,626 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in North Somerset since the pandemic began.
  • 243.3 per 100,000 Covid cases have been recorded in England over the last seven days.

Sources:

  • Pfizer
  • BioNTech
  • The FTSE 100
  • The UK Government
  • BBC News
  • Sky News
  • PA Media
  • Bristol Post

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