Moderna Vaccine Reported to be 94.5% Effective

[GA Dave]

Moderna

[ziggyuk]

Just been watching it on the news, fantastic to have a second vaccine close to being approved, fingers crossed these vaccines can start rolling out quickly & lets hope more candidates are as effective.

[travelhound]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

Just been watching it on the news, fantastic to have a second vaccine close to being approved, fingers crossed these vaccines can start rolling out quickly & lets hope more candidates are as effective.

Yup, very good news.  I just posted this on the Carnival forum.

[beerman2]

2 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

Just been watching it on the news, fantastic to have a second vaccine close to being approved, fingers crossed these vaccines can start rolling out quickly & lets hope more candidates are as effective.

TV News report said by the end of December (5-6 weeks away) but it is a step forward.

Supposedly 20 million doses ( 10 million people). Nursing home/elderly and Health Care will be first.

[travelhound]

2 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

TV News report said by the end of December (5-6 weeks away) but it is a step forward.

Supposedly 20 million doses ( 10 million people). Nursing home/elderly and Health Care will be first.

Yup and Pfizer will have 40 million by the end of this year.  That makes 60 million by the end of December 🙂

[IrishKathy]

Another good thing about the Moderna vaccine is that it requires only regular refrigeration, not the 95 below zero F.   I think I also read that it is a one-shot vaccine.  Let's hope so.

[NYcruzzer]

8 minutes ago, IrishKathy said:

Another good thing about the Moderna vaccine is that it requires only regular refrigeration, not the 95 below zero F.   I think I also read that it is a one-shot vaccine.  Let's hope so.

I believe it's two shots. 28 days apart. Still great news. 

[njhorseman]

9 minutes ago, IrishKathy said:

Another good thing about the Moderna vaccine is that it requires only regular refrigeration, not the 95 below zero F.   I think I also read that it is a one-shot vaccine.  Let's hope so.

It's a two shot vaccine:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/16/935239294/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-shines-in-clinical-trial

"In the Moderna study there were 30,000 volunteers. Half got two doses of the vaccine 28 days apart; half got two shots of a placebo on the same schedule."

 

[PelicanBill]

The standard storage temperature is GREAT news.

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, IrishKathy said:

I think I also read that it is a one-shot vaccine. 

 

2 hours ago, NYcruzzer said:

I believe it's two shots. 28 days apart. Still great news. 

 

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

It's a two shot vaccine:

 

Yes, I believe both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 2 shots. The next vaccine candidate from Johnson & Johnson (soon to be announced) is only 1 shot (as I understand).

[fabnfortysomething]

I'm enrolled in a phase 3 trial with Medivax-2 shots

dont know whether am in active vaccine or placebo group

[fabnfortysomething]

1 minute ago, fabnfortysomething said:

I'm enrolled in a phase 3 trial with Medivax-2 shots

dont know whether am in active vaccine or placebo group

sorry Novavax not Medivax

[travelhound]

4 hours ago, PelicanBill said:

The standard storage temperature is GREAT news.

Yup, that will make the distribution go much faster.

[hallux]

Saw on the news tonight what the proposed phases for distribution are.

Phase 1: Front-line workers - doctors, nurses, paramedics - and the most vulnerable such as elderly in nursing homes and people with underlying health conditions.  They estimated 15% covered by this phase.

Phase 2: The rest of the elderly, essential workers, teachers, homeless shelters and people in prisons and detention centers.

Phase 3: Young adults, children and people in jobs essential to the economy.

 

By this time they figure 85-95% vaccinated.

 

Phase 4: Everyone else. (I fall in this group)

 

Here's an MSNBC article on this - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/01/us-advisors-recommend-four-phases-for-distributing-coronavirus-vaccine-nationwide.html

[zdcatc12]

7 hours ago, IrishKathy said:

Another good thing about the Moderna vaccine is that it requires only regular refrigeration, not the 95 below zero F.   I think I also read that it is a one-shot vaccine.  Let's hope so.

Actually, here is the difference in the two: 

Pfizer's vaccine has to be kept at minus 75 degrees Celsius — or about minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit. No other vaccine in the US needs to be kept that cold, and doctors' offices and pharmacies do not have freezers that go that low.

 

Moderna's vaccine can be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius, which is about minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. Other vaccines, such as the one against chickenpox, need to be kept at that temperature.

That means Moderna's vaccine can be kept in "a readily available freezer that is available in most doctors' offices and pharmacies," said Dr. Tal Zacks, Moderna's chief medical officer. "We leverage infrastructure that already exists for other marketed vaccines."

 

Another advantage of Moderna's vaccine is that it can be kept for 30 days in the refrigerator, the company announced Monday. Pfizer's vaccine can last only five days in the refrigerator.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, hallux said:

Saw on the news tonight what the proposed phases for distribution are.

Phase 1: Front-line workers - doctors, nurses, paramedics - and the most vulnerable such as elderly in nursing homes and people with underlying health conditions.  They estimated 15% covered by this phase.

Phase 2: The rest of the elderly, essential workers, teachers, homeless shelters and people in prisons and detention centers.

Phase 3: Young adults, children and people in jobs essential to the economy.

 

By this time they figure 85-95% vaccinated.

 

Phase 4: Everyone else. (I fall in this group)

 

Here's an MSNBC article on this - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/01/us-advisors-recommend-four-phases-for-distributing-coronavirus-vaccine-nationwide.html

Each state was required to submit a plan. Not all states are the same, but most generally follow the CDC guidelines. 
 

New York’s 96 page plan

https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYS_COVID_Vaccination_Program_Book_10.16.20_FINAL.pdf

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, zdcatc12 said:

Actually, here is the difference in the two: 

Pfizer's vaccine has to be kept at minus 75 degrees Celsius — or about minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit. No other vaccine in the US needs to be kept that cold, and doctors' offices and pharmacies do not have freezers that go that low.

While common freezers don’t operate in that range, most doctor’s offices store things like liquid nitrogen which is at that temperature. 
 

Does it make transportation and storage more difficult? Sure. Will it prevent people from getting the vaccine? No. 

And anyone from Moderna is going to point out insignificant differences to help drive up their stock price and line their pockets. 

 

More mainstream media sensationalism. 

Edited November 17, 2020 by BirdTravels

[farmersfight]

23 hours ago, GA Dave said:

Moderna

 

I found this statement from the Reuters article to be quite scary, especially for the people of China and Russia;

 

"Other countries such as China and Russia have already begun vaccinations. Russia licensed its Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine for domestic use in August before it started large-scale trials."

 

Licensing a vaccine for use before it started large-scale trials?? Are you kidding me? No thank you. Also, any vaccine named "Sputnik-V" cannot be good...

 

 

[GA Dave]

13 hours ago, hallux said:

Saw on the news tonight what the proposed phases for distribution are.

Phase 1: Front-line workers - doctors, nurses, paramedics - and the most vulnerable such as elderly in nursing homes and people with underlying health conditions.  They estimated 15% covered by this phase.

Phase 2: The rest of the elderly, essential workers, teachers, homeless shelters and people in prisons and detention centers.

Phase 3: Young adults, children and people in jobs essential to the economy.

 

By this time they figure 85-95% vaccinated.

 

Phase 4: Everyone else. (I fall in this group)

 

Here's an MSNBC article on this - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/01/us-advisors-recommend-four-phases-for-distributing-coronavirus-vaccine-nationwide.html

My biggest issue with these US plans is they cut off the "elderly" at 65 plus.  I am just a couple of years short of that and have two conditions that the CDC defines as "underlying medical conditions".  Yet, under the proposed plan, I will receive the vaccine after my perfectly healthy 30-year-old daughter, 28-year-old son, and 3-year-old granddaughter.  How does this make any sense at all?

I do have a letter from back in March that my employer gave everyone in our company that states that we could travel during the shut down because we are essential workers.  Would this bump me up to Phase 2??

[njhorseman]

9 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

While common freezers don’t operate in that range, most doctor’s offices store things like liquid nitrogen which is at that temperature. 
 

Does it make transportation and storage more difficult? Sure. Will it prevent people from getting the vaccine? No. 

And anyone from Moderna is going to point out insignificant differences to help drive up their stock price and line their pockets. 

 

More mainstream media sensationalism. 

No...the typical doctor's office or pharmacy doesn't have that type of freezer, which is normally only used for medical research. In fact many hospitals don't, including the Mayo Clinic. Rural  and poorer hospitals can't afford to but them.  The CDC has advised hospitals not to buy them because vaccines other than Pfizer's won't need those freezers.

 

Here are two articles...written before Moderna's announcement by the way , so not influenced by it:

https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/525590-why-you-wont-be-able-to-get-pfizers-breakthrough

"The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Reuters it would not be able to store the vaccine if it were available today. Currently, the vaccine needs to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 F) or below to last up to six months. And the necessary freezers aren’t cheap at $10,000 to $15,000 each."

 

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/11/rural-hospitals-cant-afford-freezers-to-store-pfizer-covid19-vaccine/

 

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised state health departments against purchasing ultra-cold freezers — which cost $10,000 to $15,000 each — saying other vaccines with less demanding storage requirements will be available soon. Hospitals with money to spare are flouting this guidance. Four major health care systems, from North Carolina to Ohio, North Dakota, and California, told STAT they had bought additional ultra-cold freezers, while Jefferson Health in Philadelphia said it has leased five units."

 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by njhorseman

[ziggyuk]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

No...the typical doctor's office or pharmacy doesn't have that type of freezer, which is normally only used for medical research. In fact many hospitals don't, including the Mayo Clinic. Rural  and poorer hospitals can't afford to but them.  The CDC has advised hospitals not to buy them because vaccines other than Pfizer's won't need those freezers.

 

Here are two articles...written before Moderna's announcement by the way , so not influenced by it:

https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/525590-why-you-wont-be-able-to-get-pfizers-breakthrough

"The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Reuters it would not be able to store the vaccine if it were available today. Currently, the vaccine needs to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 F) or below to last up to six months. And the necessary freezers aren’t cheap at $10,000 to $15,000 each."

 

https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/11/rural-hospitals-cant-afford-freezers-to-store-pfizer-covid19-vaccine/

 

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised state health departments against purchasing ultra-cold freezers — which cost $10,000 to $15,000 each — saying other vaccines with less demanding storage requirements will be available soon. Hospitals with money to spare are flouting this guidance. Four major health care systems, from North Carolina to Ohio, North Dakota, and California, told STAT they had bought additional ultra-cold freezers, while Jefferson Health in Philadelphia said it has leased five units."

 

 

 

Our news was reporting the vaccine will be sent out from central storage in dry ice (-75c) and once unpacked at the destination can be shored in a normal fridge, once removed from the dry ice it must be used in 5 days.

[friskat]

An effective vaccine would be very exciting to the entire travel industry!! Hoping it works!!

[farmersfight]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

The CDC has advised hospitals not to buy them because vaccines other than Pfizer's won't need those freezers.

 

Its' a shame that Pfizer's vaccine break through has that huge "stumbling block" of the ultra-cold storage requirement. I guess it's still better than where we were, with no vaccine at all. And, as the article points out, facilities with $$ to spare will be able to buy or lease those special freezers. I'm sure Pfizer is continuing to work to improve on their vaccine so as to eliminate the ultra-cold storage requirement (and be more like Moderna's vaccine). Too much $$ out there to be made by Pfizer (and, to give Pfizer credit, I'm sure they want to make their vaccine more widely available for world health).

 

Anyway, the good news on vaccines (incl Pfizer's) now seems to be rolling out. I think Johnson & Johnson is about to announce theirs and theirs only requires 1 shot vice the 2 required by Pfizer's & Moderna's vaccines.

[farmersfight]

8 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Our news was reporting the vaccine will be sent out from central storage in dry ice (-75c) and once unpacked at the destination can be shored in a normal fridge, once removed from the dry ice it must be used in 5 days.

 

This seems like a method that would work...

[njhorseman]

12 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

While common freezers don’t operate in that range, most doctor’s offices store things like liquid nitrogen which is at that temperature. 
 

Does it make transportation and storage more difficult? Sure. Will it prevent people from getting the vaccine? No. 

And anyone from Moderna is going to point out insignificant differences to help drive up their stock price and line their pockets. 

 

More mainstream media sensationalism. 

More evidence that you're wrong about doctors' offices.  A NY Times interview with Dr. Celine Grounder of Biden's advisory board:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/16/health/coronavirus-celine-gounder-biden.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

 

"What are your thoughts about vaccine distribution?

 

Your local doctor’s office is not going to have the deep-freeze capability that, at least for the Pfizer vaccine, you’re going to need. They’re not necessarily going to have the tech systems to track and call people back to make sure they get their second doses.

That kind of capacity really resides either in public health departments or in the private commercial sector, like CVS and Walgreens. So it’s really going to require collaboration with them."

Edited November 17, 2020 by njhorseman