New data supports findings of 95% effectiveness for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

ORLANDO, Fla. — By the end of this week, the Food and Drug Administration will likely approve Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

New data released Tuesday reveals more details on just how well the vaccine works so far.

The FDA released two new reports: one of its own and a Pfizer report, which both analyzed Pfizer’s Phase 3 vaccine trial of about 44,000 participants.

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An advisory board to the FDA will meet Thursday and use the reports to decide if it should approve Pfizer’s vaccine.

If it does, doses could be shipped out as early as this weekend.

The two reports can be overwhelming.

Channel 9 asked public health researcher Dr. Chris Beyrer for his review of the reports and he said, “on a scale of one to 10, I would have to say this is a 10.”

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Last month, Pfizer said its two-dose vaccine was 95% effective. The new report shows that the vaccine is 95% effective in everyone.

“There have been some vaccines where they were less effective in older people,” Beyrer said. “So the 16- to 55-year-olds absolutely looks great, and it looks the same and over 55.”

We also now know it works just as well regardless of a person’s ethnicity or if he or she has underlying health conditions.

“Including one that has really led to a lot of complications with COVID, which is obesity,” Beyrer said.

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The reports show the vaccine is about 50% effective after the first dose and 95% after the second dose.

Data also shows after the second dose, people might not feel very well.

Beyrer said many trial participants under the age of 55 reported side effects like fatigue, headaches, a low-grade fever, and injection site pain.

He said those symptoms are often signs the vaccine is working.

See the full report in the video above.

Cox Media Group