American biotech company Moderna in Cambridge, Massachusetts has completed third-stage trials of its COVID vaccine. This inserts messenger RNA into recipient body cells, which empower their immune system to fight the virus. Food and Drug Administration FDA scientists recommend Moderna vaccine as ‘safe and efficacious’.
FDA Scientists Recommend Moderna Vaccine for Emergency Use
The Food and Drug Administration team says the two-dose vaccine ‘is highly effective’ in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 from occurring’. However, it takes ‘at least 14 days after the receipt of the second dose’ for this benefit to click in.
The agency also noted aches and pains and other side-effects are ‘more severe than with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine’. Although this is not sufficient reason to slow approval of the Moderna roll out.
The FDA team also found ‘preliminary evidence the vaccine has some efficacy after one dose’. And that it prevents asymptomatic Covid-19 cases that occur without a person ever feeling ill.
Further Detail About A Vaccine That Could Change Our Lives
The developer released additional information in support of FDA scientists recommending Moderna vaccine as effective. The American biotech manufacturer said its vaccine ‘decreased symptomatic Covid-19 infections by 94% in clinical trials. While also preventing more severe forms of the disease’.
The final meeting is tomorrow, and after that Stat News says the U.S. regulators are ‘all but sure to issue an emergency use authorization’ for the Moderna vaccine. Moderna recommends the vaccine for people over 18. But the Pfizer/BioNTech product already has authorization for people two years younger.
We can start to breathe a sigh of relief with vaccination rolling out in UK, and U.S. likely to follow soon. However, having a vaccine available is far from having a virus-free community. We still need to keep our shields up and our masks on. The new normal is a while away, and we are all still at risk.
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