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COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements and Progress in Development

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Travelers to Australia may soon be required to prove they've been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce, citing a potential common measure in the industry. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca announced its vaccine efficacy in preventing severe cases and hospitalizations, with 70% overall effectiveness. Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna have also shown promising results from late-stage trials.

Key Takeaways:

  • Qantas plans to require international travelers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, a move that could become standard in the industry.
  • AstraZeneca's vaccine showed 70% overall effectiveness in preventing severe cases and hospitalizations in clinical trials in Britain and Brazil.
  • Pfizer and Moderna announced initial results from late-stage trials showing their vaccines were nearly 95% effective.
  • Germany and the United States have begun planning to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, with Germany preparing to vaccinate some populations as early as next month.
  • The United States has set plans to begin vaccinating health care workers, who have been hard-hit by COVID-19, as early as December 12.
  • Airlines are pushing for relaxed quarantine rules to allow for more travel, with British Airways welcoming a new system in the UK that allows passengers to take a COVID-19 test after five days of quarantine.
  • Over 59 million people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19, with the United States leading the world in infections and China imposing new lockdowns in response to a reemergence of cases.

Statistics:

  • 70%: Overall effectiveness of AstraZeneca's vaccine in preventing severe cases and hospitalizations (AstraZeneca, November 23, 2020)
  • 90%: Effectiveness of one dosing regimen for AstraZeneca's vaccine
  • 62%: Effectiveness of another dosing regimen for AstraZeneca's vaccine
  • 95%: Effectiveness of vaccines announced by Pfizer and Moderna in late-stage trials (Pfizer, Moderna, November 23, 2020)
  • Over 59 million: Number of people worldwide infected with COVID-19 (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)
  • Over 12 million: Number of cases in the United States (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)
  • Over 9 million: Number of cases in India (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)
  • Over 6 million: Number of cases in Brazil (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)
  • Nearly 1.4 million: Number of deaths worldwide due to COVID-19 (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)
  • Over 250,000: Number of deaths in the United States due to COVID-19 (Johns Hopkins Resource Center, November 23, 2020)

Sources:

  • Voice of America (VOA)
  • Nine Network
  • AstraZeneca
  • Oxford University
  • Pfizer
  • Moderna
  • Johns Hopkins Resource Center
  • The Associated Press

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