Scotland's vaccine rollout suggests delaying the 2nd COVID-19 shot is a bad idea

A frontline healthcare worker receives a Moderna COVID-19 vaccination at the Park County Health Departments storefront clinic on January 5, 2021 in Livingston, Montana. Photo by William Campbell/Getty Images The UK strategy to delay the second coronavirus vaccine dose for up to 12 weeks carries real risk. New data from Scotland showed protection against hospitalization peaking after five weeks — and then declining. Vaccine developers and public-health experts told Insider it's a mistake to...
Tags: Health, UK, Science, News, Obama, Scotland, Israel, Trends, Healthcare, Astrazeneca, Philadelphia, Pfizer, Children s Hospital, Patel, Paul Offit, Livingston Montana

The first dose of the Pfizer vaccine is 85% effective, Israeli study finds

Sheba's research suggests an 85% reduction in symptomatic COVID-19 within 15 to 28 days. Dado Ruvic/Reuters The first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine is 85% effective, Reuters reported. The UK government has already prioritized the first dose scheme over the two-shot scheme. The European Medicines Agency and the FDA are against delaying the second vaccine dose, however. Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories. The first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's cor...
Tags: UK, Israel, US, Trends, Philadelphia, Fda, Pfizer, Reuters, European Medicines Agency, Children s Hospital, US Food and Drug Administration FDA, Sheba, European Medicines Agency EMA, Gaston De Serres, Paul Offit, Reuters Two

Are Experts Underselling the Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines?

David Leonhardt won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2011. This week in a New York Times newsletter, he argues that early in the pandemic experts around the world mistakenly discouraged mask use because of "a concern that people would rush to buy high-grade medical masks, leaving too few for doctors and nurses. The experts were also [at the time] unsure how much ordinary masks would help." But are they now spreading a similarly misguided pessimism about vaccines? Right now, public discussio...
Tags: Tech, New York Times, Philadelphia, Pfizer, Peter Hotez, Baylor College of Medicine, Children s Hospital, Paul Offit, David Leonhardt, Moderna, Vaccine Education Center

Kamala Harris was just sworn in as the first female vice president in US history. Here are 35 of the most powerful women in 2021.

Kamala Harris, Jill Biden, and Shonda Rhimes. Tasos Katopodis/JIM WATSON/AFP/George Pimentel/Getty Images First ladies, political figures, and prominent businesswomen hold great power in the US. Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female vice president of the United States. Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, has served for over 65 years. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. From the boardroom to Hollywood and the floor of the House of...
Tags: Strategy, Features, Women And Leadership, Women's History Month, Feminism, Women, CDU

35 of the most powerful women in 2021

Kamala Harris, Jill Biden, and Shonda Rhimes. Tasos Katopodis/JIM WATSON/AFP/George Pimentel/Getty Images From first ladies of the United States to prominent businesswomen and leading figures in the entertainment industry, these women hold great power. On January 20, Senator Kamala Harris will be sworn in as the first female and first Black and South Asian vice president of the United States. Queen Elizabeth II, one of the best-known female leaders in the world and the longest-reigning mon...
Tags: Strategy, Features, Women And Leadership, Women's History Month, Feminism, Women, CDU

We just got some promising early data that shows a one-shot coronavirus vaccine could help protect people from COVID-19

A clinical trial volunteer participates in Johnson & Johnson's study to test a coronavirus vaccine candidate Janssen Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine generates a promising immune response. It's still not clear if the shot can prevent COVID-19, or how it will compare to rival vaccinations. The drugmaker is set to publish data within weeks that should provide more definitive information about the protection the vaccine provides. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. ...
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11 Questions to Ask About COVID-19 Research

Debates have raged on social media, around dinner tables, on TV, and in Congress about the science of COVID-19. Is it really worse than the flu? How necessary are lockdowns? Do masks work to prevent infection? What kinds of masks work best? Is the new vaccine safe? You might see friends, relatives, and coworkers offer competing answers, often brandishing studies or citing individual doctors and scientists to support their positions. With so much disagreement—and with such high stakes—how can we...
Tags: Parenting, Congress, Cdc, White House, Sutter Health, United States, World Health Organization, Denmark, Fox News, Fda, UC Berkeley, Coca Cola, Bell, Trump, UCSF, Oakland California

CDC: With nearly 5 million Americans vaccinated, just 29 have had confirmed allergic reactions

Diana Carolina, a pharmacist at Memorial Healthcare System, receives a Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine at Memorial Healthcare System, on December 14, 2020 in Miramar, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images The CDC has released its first set of data about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. So far, only 29 people of the 5 million vaccinated have had confirmed, allergic reactions after vaccination in the US. "Our vaccine safety systems haven't picked up any worrisome signals," the CDC's Nancy Messon...
Tags: UK, Science, Cdc, US, Trends, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, Pfizer, Portland Oregon, Paul Offit, Paula Bronstein Getty, Thomas Clark, Moderna, Memorial Healthcare System, Miramar Florida

Why you're not fully protected from COVID-19 after a single vaccine dose

Both Pfizer and Moderna'a COVID-19 vaccines require two shots, given weeks apart. Siphiwe Sibeko/Pool via AP Most COVID-19 vaccines are given as two shots, administered several weeks apart.  Protection does not start when the needle hits your arm.  It takes some days after each shot for the body to mount its own immune response to the novel coronavirus and prevent disease. Experts don't know exactly how protected from infection people are after their first shot, but there are signs of ...
Tags: UK, Science, California, Cdc, Kentucky, US, Alabama, Trends, Georgia, Healthcare, Astrazeneca, Cbs, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Oxford University

The UK is making a risky bet to stretch its supply of coronavirus vaccines, and scientists are split on the untested strategy

Paula McMahon prepares a shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Jeff J Mitchell/Pool via AP UK officials announced Tuesday that they would prioritize getting people their first doses of coronavirus vaccines instead of holding enough to ensure they can get a second dose on time. Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine is supposed to be given as two injections 21 days apart. The new guidelines allow people to wait up to 12 weeks between receiving their first and second doses. The UK is the first...
Tags: UK, US, Trends, Healthcare, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Usa Today, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, US Food and Drug Administration, Gottlieb, Paul Offit, Scott Gottlieb, Pandemic, BioNtech, Stanley Plotkin, Plotkin

What life in 2021 will look like

Skye Gould/Insider Business Insider tapped eight leading COVID-19 experts across the US to create a best guess for what 2021 will be like. The good news is that life with the virus is almost certain to get better in 2021. But you will still need to wear a mask, social distance, and take other precautions, as it becomes safer to gather again. Here is Business Insider's timeline for the year ahead. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. No one knows exactly what life will look ...
Tags: Science, Brown University, US, Trends, Joe Biden, Features, Healthcare, 2022, Philadelphia Eagles, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Eagles, Omaha Nebraska, Harvard Medical School, Popescu, Regeneron

Why you shouldn't worry about a connection between Bell's palsy and COVID-19 vaccines

US Vice President Mike Pence receives the COVID-19 vaccine on December 18, 2020. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images Both Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines have been vetted by the FDA, and so far they look very safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 infections, based on trials in tens of thousands of volunteers around the world. Common side effects after vaccination have included arm pain, fatigue, and headaches, which last a few days, but no major safety concerns have been raised yet.  Still, s...
Tags: Medical, US, Trends, Turkey, Switzerland, Food And Drug Administration, Fda, Pfizer, Bell, Mike Pence, Harvard Medical School, John Moore, Pompano Beach Florida, Massaro, Paul Offit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders

FDA expert panel endorses Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for regulators to green-light the shot

Moderna; Samantha Lee/Business Insider An influential Food and Drug Administration expert panel voted Thursday in favor of authorizing Moderna's coronavirus vaccine. The FDA isn't required to follow the group's advice but often does so. The agency could OK Moderna's shot on Friday, according to media reports. Twenty of the 21 committee members voted yes, and one panelist abstained.  If the vaccine gets the FDA's regulatory go-ahead, the government plans to ship 5.9 million doses of Modern...
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FDA expert panel endorses Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for regulators to greenlight the shot

Moderna; Samantha Lee/Business Insider An influential FDA expert panel voted Thursday in favor of authorizing Moderna's coronavirus vaccine.  The US Food and Drug Administration isn't required to follow the group's advice, but often does so. The agency could OK Moderna's shot on Friday, according to media reports. Twenty of the 21 committee members voted yes, and one panelist abstained.  If the vaccine gets the FDA's regulatory go-ahead, the government plans to ship 5.9 million doses of M...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Cdc, Stanford, US, Trends, Data, Features, Alaska, New York Times, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Biotech

Ten Questions to Ask About COVID-19 Research

Debates have raged on social media, around dinner tables, on TV, and in Congress about the science of COVID-19. Is it really worse than the flu? How necessary are lockdowns? Do masks work to prevent infection? What kinds of masks work best? Is the new vaccine safe? You might see friends, relatives, and coworkers offer competing answers, often brandishing studies or citing individual doctors and scientists to support their positions. With so much disagreement—and with such high stakes—how can we...
Tags: Parenting, Congress, Cdc, White House, Sutter Health, United States, World Health Organization, Denmark, Fox News, Fda, UC Berkeley, Coca Cola, Bell, Trump, UCSF, Oakland California

US Allows Pfizer’s Emergency COVID-19 Vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. gave the final go-ahead Friday to the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine, marking what could be the beginning of the end of an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans. Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of what promises to be a strongly protective vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech. Initial doses are scarce a...
Tags: Europe, News, Washington, China, Russia, US, Ap, Britain, Food And Drug Administration, Philadelphia, Fda, Pfizer, Donald Trump, Trump, The Associated Press, Johnson Johnson

US allows emergency COVID-19 vaccine in bid to end pandemic

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press WASHINGTON >> The U.S. gave the final go-ahead Friday to the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine, marking what could be the beginning of the end of an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans, according to a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to discuss it publicly. Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergen...
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An influential expert panel just gave its blessing to Pfizer's 2-dose coronavirus shot, teeing up the FDA to authorize the US's first COVID-19 vaccine

The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech got a vote of confidence Thursday. Dado Ruvic/Reuters A committee of more than 20 leading scientists and doctors on Thursday voted to encourage the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency-use authorization for Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine in the US. Their vote is not binding, but the FDA is expected to follow their advice. An FDA decision could come soon. For more stories like this, sign up here for Business Insider...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Massachusetts, US, Trends, Cnn, Public Health, Healthcare, Food And Drug Administration, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, The New York Times, Kim, David Kim

An influential expert panel just gave its blessing to Pfizer's 2-dose coronavirus shot, teeing up the FDA to authorize the US' first COVID-19 vaccine

Oil markets surged in the hours after Pfizer announced positive results from its coronavirus vaccine study. Dado Ruvic/Reuters A committee of more than 20 leading scientists and doctors just voted to encourage the FDA to grant emergency use authorization for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in the US. Their vote is not a final verdict, it's really just advice. Ultimately, it's up to the scientists working inside the FDA to decide whether or not to approve the two-dose vaccine candidate for an eme...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Massachusetts, Nbc News, US, Trends, Cnn, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Kim, David Kim, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

An influential expert panel just gave its blessing to Pfizer’s 2-dose coronavirus shot, teeing up the FDA to imminently authorize the US’ first COVID-19 vaccine

Oil markets surged in the hours after Pfizer announced positive results from its coronavirus vaccine study. Dado Ruvic/Reuters A committee of more than 20 leading scientists and doctors is encouraging the FDA to grant emergency use authorization for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in the US. Their vote is not a final verdict, it's really just advice. Ultimately, it's up to the scientists working inside the FDA to decide whether or not to approve the two-dose vaccine candidate for an emergency OK...
Tags: News, Massachusetts, US, Trends, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, US Food and Drug Administration, New England Journal of Medicine, UK Canada, Hahn, Paul Offit, Moderna

Pfizer's COVID shot just won endorsement from an expert panel, and FDA could greenlight it within hours

Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images A group of independent experts met Thursday to discuss whether the US Food and Drug Administration should authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 shot. After hours of discussion, the group voted 17-4 in favor of green-lighting the shot. One member abstained. The FDA still has the ultimate authority to make the regulatory decision on its own. The agency typically follows expert panels' advice, but it isn't required to do so. For more stories like this, sign u...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Nbc, Cdc, New York City, US, America, Trends, Merck, Features, Getty Images, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania

Pfizer's COVID shot just won endorsement from an expert panel, and FDA could greenlight it within days

Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images A group of independent experts met Thursday to discuss whether the FDA should authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 shot. After hours of discussion, the group voted 17-4 in favor of green-lighting the shot. One member abstained. The FDA still has the ultimate authority to make the regulatory decision on its own. The agency typically follows expert panels' advice, but it isn't required to do so. What follows is a minute-by-minute breakdown of the meeting. C...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Nbc, Cdc, New York City, US, America, Trends, Merck, Features, Getty Images, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania

LIVE: An FDA expert panel is nearing its fateful vote for Pfizer's COVID-19 shot

Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images A group of independent experts is meeting Thursday to discuss what is likely to be the first coronavirus vaccine available in the US.  The US Food and Drug Administration convened the advisory committee to vet Pfizer's COVID-19 shot. The panel will ultimately vote "yes" or "no" to whether the FDA should green-light the shot. Even if the advisory group votes in favor of OK'ing the vaccine, the FDA still has the ultimate authority to make the regul...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Nbc, Cdc, New York City, US, America, Trends, Merck, Features, Getty Images, Live, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda

LIVE: An FDA expert panel is discussing Pfizer's COVID-19 shot as the pandemic rages. Here's the 1 key question they're considering.

Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images A group of independent experts is meeting Thursday to discuss what is likely to be the first coronavirus vaccine available in the US.  The US Food and Drug Administration convened the advisory committee to vet Pfizer's COVID-19 shot. The panel will ultimately vote "yes" or "no" to whether the FDA should green-light the shot. Even if the advisory group votes in favor of OK'ing the vaccine, the FDA still has the ultimate authority to make the regul...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Nbc, Cdc, New York City, US, America, Trends, Merck, Features, Getty Images, Live, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda

LIVE BLOG: An FDA expert panel is discussing Pfizer's COVID-19 shot as the pandemic rages. Here's the 1 key question they're considering.

Vincent Kalut / Photonews via Getty Images A group of independent experts is meeting Thursday to discuss what is likely to be the first coronavirus vaccine available in the US.  The US Food and Drug Administration convened the advisory committee to vet Pfizer's COVID-19 shot. The panel will ultimately vote "yes" or "no" to whether the FDA should green-light the shot. Even if the advisory group votes in favor of OK'ing the vaccine, the FDA still has the ultimate authority to make the regul...
Tags: UK, Science, News, Nbc, US, America, Trends, Merck, Features, Getty Images, Public Health, Healthcare, Fda, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, Savannah Guthrie

What it feels like to get an mRNA coronavirus vaccine

By Andrea Kane | CNN As the United States inches closer to authorizing a Covid-19 vaccine many people may now let themselves start wondering what it will feel like to get it. Is it going to be like the flu vaccine? Will it be more painful? And what about side-effects? The two front-runners for getting an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration — Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna — use new mRNA technology. No US-licensed vaccine has ever used it, although researchers have ...
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No One Who Got Moderna's Vaccine In Trial Developed Severe COVID-19

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Science Magazine: Continuing the spate of stunning news about COVID-19 vaccines, the biotech company Moderna announced the final results of the 30,000-person efficacy trial for its candidate in a press release today: Only 11 people who received two doses of the vaccine developed COVID-19 symptoms after being infected with the pandemic coronavirus, versus 185 symptomatic cases in a placebo group. That is an efficacy of 94.1%, the company says, far above wh...
Tags: Tech, Philadelphia, U S Food and Drug Administration FDA, European Medicines Agency, Children s Hospital, EUA, Paul Offit, Moderna

Scientists are aiming to launch a nationwide trial 'as soon as possible' to find out if the top coronavirus vaccines can stop the virus from spreading

A 16-year-old participates in Pfizer's clinical trial to test its coronavirus vaccine candidate. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Massive studies have shown that two leading coronavirus vaccines are highly effective at preventing people from getting sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Top researchers are already pitching plans for additional studies, Business Insider has learned. This research aims to answer a critical question: can these experimental shots also pr...
Tags: Science, US, Trends, Healthcare, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Pfizer, University Of North Carolina, Cohen, Corey, UNC, Children s Hospital, National Cancer Institute, Paul Offit, NCI, Lowy

Vaccine trials didn't monitor one variable: volunteers' behavior. 'Masks and social distancing were left up to us,' a participant said.

People wear face masks at the Union Square Greenmarket on September 19, 2020, in New York City. Noam Galai/Getty Images In their COVID-19 vaccine trials, Pfizer and Moderna didn't monitor participants' social interactions, risk-taking, or exposure after they were injected with a vaccine or placebo.  Volunteers who suspected they'd gotten the vaccine may have been inclined to engage in riskier behavior. Public-health experts say the risk of getting COVID-19 was relatively low for most trial...
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Moderna's coronavirus vaccine can cause severe fatigue and aches and pains. Two top vaccine experts told us why they think you'll still take it.

Moderna COVID vaccine trial volunteer receives injection that could be the vaccine. Data's been released that provides an indication of possible side effects. Hans Pennink/AP Photo Moderna said its vaccine has side effects like muscle aches and fatigue. Experts say that if the vaccine prevents COVID-19, then mild or moderate side effects won't impact vaccine uptake. The experts said they're waiting on the full data before recommending Moderna's shot.  Visit Business Insider's homepage ...
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