Pfizer vaccine study shows 90% effective rate, could be available this year

It’s being called a gamechanger in the fight against COVID-19.

Pfizer officials said their vaccine trials showed it is 90% effective.

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Pfizer put about 44,000 people in the study. After two doses, the data on those people shows the vaccine is 90% effective.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said his researchers still don’t know if the vaccine works well in everyone, and “how long this protection will last.”

But when the FDA does give its stamp of approval, “We believe that we are in (a) good situation to have up to 50 million doses this year globally (and) 1.3 billion doses globally again next year,” Bourla said.

READ: Coronavirus: Pfizer says early analysis shows COVID-19 vaccine over 90% effective in trial

John Grabenstein used to work for the Department of Defense and led the Military Immunization program. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will decide who gets the vaccine first, then it’s up to state and local health departments to make sure they’re administered properly.

“It takes a lot of planning, storage in dry ice, the replenishment of the dry ice,” Grabenstein said, adding the vaccine needs to be stored at -90 degrees.