# Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective, according to company data



## StarSong (Nov 16, 2020)

Excellent news!  
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/16/health/moderna-vaccine-results-coronavirus/index.html


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## Becky1951 (Nov 16, 2020)

This one will be easier to distribute as it only has to be kept at minus 20 degrees. And they had a higher number of participants in the study which gives a better idea of success or failure and the success rate so far is very promising.


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## StarSong (Nov 16, 2020)

This news must have sucked the air out of Pfizer's happiness balloon.


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 16, 2020)

_In Moderna's trial, 15,000 study participants were given a placebo, which is a shot of saline that has no effect. Over several months, 90 of them developed Covid-19, with 11 developing severe forms of the disease.

Another 15,000 participants were given the vaccine, and *only five *of them developed Covid-19. None of the five became severely ill.

The company says its vaccine did not have any serious side effects. A small percentage of those who received it experienced symptoms such as body aches and headaches._


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## Autumn (Nov 16, 2020)

Given that the flu shots we get each fall are between 40% - 60% effective, this is amazing news!  We just have to pray that Covid doesn't mutate and create new strains the way influenza does...


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## Granny B. (Nov 16, 2020)

Great news!  Now we just have to survive until it can be approved, manufactured, and distributed.  It's going to be a sad and frightening winter.


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## Sunny (Nov 16, 2020)

True, Granny. The process of getting it distributed is going to be excruciating.


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## StarSong (Nov 16, 2020)

Granny B. said:


> Great news!  Now we just have to survive until it can be approved, manufactured, and distributed.  It's going to be a sad and frightening winter.


I'm hoping that this good news will energize people to hang on a few months longer.


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## StarSong (Nov 16, 2020)

Sunny said:


> True, Granny. The process of getting it distributed is going to be excruciating.


But Moderna's distribution process is going to be much less burdensome that Pfizer's.  Not to mention that their early efficacy rate is superior.


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## gennie (Nov 16, 2020)

Sounds like great news.  I hope all is based on fact and not 'pie in the sky' blather issued for economic (stock market) reasons.


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## Devi (Nov 16, 2020)

As do I, @gennie — as do I. 

Well, as do most of us, I'm sure.


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## fancicoffee13 (Nov 16, 2020)

StarSong said:


> Excellent news!
> https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/16/health/moderna-vaccine-results-coronavirus/index.html


I will gladly take the vaccine, but how do you know if it is a placebo?  Are all the vaccines, once released to the ppublic, a real vaccine?


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## fancicoffee13 (Nov 16, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I'm hoping that this good news will energize people to hang on a few months longer.


I hope so!  It does have that impact on me anyway.


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## fancicoffee13 (Nov 16, 2020)

Granny B. said:


> Great news!  Now we just have to survive until it can be approved, manufactured, and distributed.  It's going to be a sad and frightening winter.


They said sometime in December.  Probably for the nurses, and those most needing it first.


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## Becky1951 (Nov 16, 2020)

fancicoffee13 said:


> I will gladly take the vaccine, but how do you know if it is a placebo?  Are all the vaccines, once released to the ppublic, a real vaccine?


The vaccine will be real.  Placebo's are used only in trial studies.


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## Don M. (Nov 16, 2020)

A vaccine is expected before the end of December....and health care workers will probably be the first to get it.  This is Very important because we are headed for a doctor/nurse shortage if a cure isn't found and made available...soon.  Already, a large number of doctors and nurses have either retired, or quit because of the danger of exposure to this virus.  

https://www.yahoo.com/news/doctors-calling-quits-under-stress-193342087.html 

Many hospitals are already at, or very near capacity with the number of ill....and with the holidays approaching, we could be in a real pickle by the end of this year.


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## MarciKS (Nov 16, 2020)

We've had some here that have quit. They decided it wasn't worth the risk.


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## Ken N Tx (Nov 17, 2020)

Don M. said:


> A vaccine is expected before the end of December...


I have a doctor's appointment in late Dec. I hope its available then, but I doubt it!!


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## win231 (Nov 17, 2020)

gennie said:


> Sounds like great news.  I hope all is based on fact and not 'pie in the sky' blather issued for economic (stock market) reasons.


Perish the thought.  It has nothing to do with money........


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## Tommy (Nov 17, 2020)

One huge unanswered question is "How long will the immunity last?"  There are indications that, following covid infection, a person's natural immunity may last for as little as five months.  Will a vaccine's immunity last longer?  Only time will tell.


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## Devi (Nov 17, 2020)

I don't think they know yet how long a vaccine will last. Fingers crossed.


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## StarSong (Nov 17, 2020)

Tommy said:


> One huge unanswered question is "How long will the immunity last?"  There are indications that, following covid infection, a person's natural immunity may last for as little as five months.  Will a vaccine's immunity last longer?  Only time will tell.


I cannot fathom what will happen if a vaccine or infection immunity only lasts 5 months.  Or a year.


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## MarciKS (Nov 17, 2020)

a year would be good wouldn't it star? at least it would cover you till the next vaccination the following year right?


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## StarSong (Nov 17, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> a year would be good wouldn't it star? at least it would cover you till the next vaccination the following year right?


With 7.8 billion people mixing germs locally, nationally and internationally (especially when travel reopens) it'll take several years to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread.  By then, it'd be past time to start all over again if the vaccine only lasts a year.


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## MarciKS (Nov 17, 2020)

the article says at risk will receive first. i'm sure they'll offer it to healthcare people asap. i want to take it but unless i can get ahold of an active ingredient list and make sure i can take it...nothin doin.


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## fancicoffee13 (Nov 17, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> The vaccine will be real.  Placebo's are used only in trial studies.


Oh, okay then.  That explains what I needed to know.  Thanks a lot.


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## Sunny (Nov 17, 2020)

StarSong said:


> With 7.8 billion people mixing germs locally, nationally and internationally (especially when travel reopens) it'll take several years to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread.  By then, it'd be past time to start all over again if the vaccine only lasts a year.



Probably it will be similar to the flu vaccine. That has not stopped everyone from getting the flu, and it's far from 100% effective. But it has made a dent.  If we have to go back for a "booster" every year, probably most of us will do it.

What I'm wondering is how we will get it. Will there be people lined up around the block (like they do for the latest iphone, or they used to do for the latest Harry Potter book?)  Will it be available at our private doctor's office?  Or will there be distribution centers?  Does anyone know yet?


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## Don M. (Nov 17, 2020)

Sunny said:


> Probably it will be similar to the flu vaccine. That has not stopped everyone from getting the flu, and it's far from 100% effective. But it has made a dent.  If we have to go back for a "booster" every year, probably most of us will do it.
> 
> What I'm wondering is how we will get it. Will there be people lined up around the block (like they do for the latest iphone, or they used to do for the latest Harry Potter book?)  Will it be available at our private doctor's office?  Or will there be distribution centers?  Does anyone know yet?



Since these vaccines must be stored at subfreezing temperatures, they will probably only be available at limited locations.  If they become available at the major drug stores, or shopping areas, they will probably need a big transportable freezer to hold them until ready for inoculation.   I doubt that local doctors offices will have facilities to store them.  Get ready for some Loooong Lines.


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