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The company also said it has shared with the federal government “all aspects” of its production and distribution process. “They toured our facilities, walked the production lines and were updated on our production planning as information became available,” the statement said.
Vaccines against covid19>
Answers to your questions about vaccines
With the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine starting in the United States, here are the answers to some questions you might be wondering:
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- If I live in the United States, when can I get the vaccine? While the exact order of vaccines may vary by state, most will likely prioritize medical workers and residents of long-term care facilities. If you want to understand how this decision is made, this article will help you.
- When can I resume a normal life after being vaccinated? Life will only return to normal when society as a whole is sufficiently protected against the coronavirus. Once countries authorize a vaccine, they will only be able to immunize a few percent of their citizens in the first two months at most. The unvaccinated majority will always remain vulnerable to infection. A growing number of coronavirus vaccines show strong protection against the disease. But it is also possible for people to spread the virus without even knowing they are infected, as they show only mild symptoms, if any. Scientists do not yet know if the vaccines also block the transmission of the coronavirus. So for now, even vaccinated people will have to wear masks, avoid crowds inside, etc. Once enough people are vaccinated, it will become very difficult for the coronavirus to find vulnerable people to infect. Depending on how quickly we, as a society, reach this goal, life may start to move closer to something normal by fall 2021.
- If I have been vaccinated, do I still have to wear a mask? Yes, but not forever. Here’s why. Vaccines against the coronavirus are injected deep into the muscles and stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. This appears to be enough protection to prevent the vaccinated person from getting sick. But what’s not clear is whether it’s possible for the virus to bloom in the nose – and either sneeze or breathe out to infect other people – even though antibodies elsewhere in the body have mobilized to prevent the vaccinated person to get sick. Clinical vaccine trials have been designed to find out whether vaccinated people are protected from the disease – not whether they might still spread the coronavirus. Based on studies of the flu vaccine and even of patients infected with Covid-19, researchers have reason to hope that those vaccinated will not spread the virus, but more research is needed. In the meantime, everyone, even those who have been vaccinated, will have to think of themselves as possible silent spreaders and continue to wear a mask. Learn more here.
- Will it hurt? What are the side effects? The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is given by injection into the arm, like other typical vaccines. The injection in your arm won’t be different from any other vaccine, but the rate of short-lived side effects seems higher than a flu shot. Tens of thousands of people have already received the vaccines and none of them have reported serious health problems. Side effects, which can resemble symptoms of Covid-19, last for about a day and seem more likely after the second dose. Initial reports of vaccine trials suggest that some people may need to take time off work because they feel unwell after receiving the second dose. In the Pfizer study, about half developed fatigue. Other side effects occurred in at least 25-33% of patients, sometimes more, including headache, chills, and muscle pain. Although these experiences are not pleasant, they are a good sign that your own immune system is preparing a potent response to the vaccine that will provide long-lasting immunity.
- Will mRNA vaccines change my genes? No. Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use a genetic molecule to stimulate the immune system. This molecule, known as mRNA, is ultimately destroyed by the body. The mRNA is packaged in an oily bubble that can fuse with a cell, allowing the molecule to slip inside. The cell uses mRNA to make proteins from the coronavirus, which can stimulate the immune system. At any given time, each of our cells can contain hundreds of thousands of mRNA molecules, which they produce to make their own proteins. Once these proteins are made, our cells then shred the mRNA with special enzymes. The mRNA molecules made by our cells can only survive for a few minutes. The mRNA in vaccines is designed to resist the enzymes in the cell for a bit longer, so that the cells can make additional viral proteins and elicit a stronger immune response. But mRNA can only last a few days at most before being destroyed.
This fall, Pfizer halved initial estimates that it could produce 100 million doses by the end of the year after experiencing manufacturing delays caused by difficulties locating equipment and raw materials, as well as needing more doses to expand its clinical trial. In November, the chief executive, Dr Albert Bourla, said about 25 million doses would go to the United States. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Pfizer said the company would be able to distribute 20 million doses in December in the United States.
The controversy over short-term deliveries takes place amidst tense negotiations between Pfizer and the federal government over a new contract for tens of millions of additional doses in the first half of next year. The two sides hope to reach a deal by Christmas, but Pfizer said the federal government needed to use its authority to force suppliers to prioritize its orders – a demand that someone familiar with the negotiations said is underway. waiting for months.
The government wants Pfizer to sell it an additional 100 million doses – enough to cover an additional 50 million Americans – between early April and late June. Pfizer said it could only deliver around 70 million doses at that time because other countries had already purchased its remaining stock.
The problem is particularly difficult because, according to people familiar with Pfizer’s version of events, the company has repeatedly asked the Trump administration to pre-order more doses starting in late summer, but l The administration did not act until Nov. 25 – more than two weeks after Pfizer announced clinical trial results showing its vaccine to be over 95% safe and effective.
The two sides are now working to understand how Pfizer can boost its manufacturing to double the number of doses the company can deliver to Americans in the first half of next year. So far, the Trump administration has blocked only a total of 300 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna. Because both vaccines require two doses, excluding children and adolescents for whom a vaccine has not yet been approved, that still leaves more than 100 million Americans uncovered.
Alex M. Azar, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, alluded to the friction with Pfizer in an interview Thursday morning with CNBC, saying, “I wish we would just stop talking about this Pfizer case.” He added that the federal government was willing to help Pfizer manufacture more “if they are willing to take our help.”
Abby Goodnough contributed reporting.
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