FORT WORTH, Texas — Pfizer and its partner BioNTech report 90% effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective in blocking infection from the virus.
“I’d have to say elation,” said Dr. Robert Atmar of his reaction to the news of a possible COVID-19 vaccine.
Atmar has studied vaccines for 35 years. He teaches at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
He says the 90% level is impressive because the goal for FDA vaccine approval and the typical flu vaccine hover around 50% efficacy.
“That's really quite remarkable,” Atmar said. "This time a year ago, we didn't even know this virus or disease existed.”
Atmar says the study will watch patients another two weeks to get more safety data, and it’ll take the FDA a couple weeks to review.
“As a researcher and scientist and a clinician, I want to see the data and exactly what was the effect,” he said. “How sick were the patients in the placebo group and you know all the information related to that.”
Atmar believes immunizations could start in a month, but it could be longer. The data comes from just 94 infections and the study enrolled around 44,000 participants.
Dallas County Public Health Director Dr. Philip Huang said they’re expecting to start immunization around the first of the year.
Both Dallas and Tarrant Counties are preparing now, though.
“We want to make sure that we’re all working together,” said Erin Beasley, Tarrant County’s immunization division manager.
Beasley oversees making sure people can get the vaccine. She says they initially set a goal of Nov. 1 to be ready to distribute but now expect to be set by Dec. 1.
“We’re just making sure that our reporting systems are solid,” she said.
Huang said Dallas County’s focus is also on testing software systems as well as signing up providers to administer the vaccine.
State health officials say in total, 2,509 providers have signed up to help distribute it. A panel will decide how the doses are allocated across the state based on need and population.
Under the plan the state rolled out last month, the first couple months would be focused on those who are most vulnerable. Those include health care workers, older people and anyone with medical conditions that put them at risk.
That’s about 13 million people total according to their estimate.
In the second phase, more people will be able to get the vaccine but the focus will be on long-term care facilities and rural communities that otherwise wouldn't be able to get it at a pharmacy or doctor's office.
By the second half of 2021, there should be multiple vaccines widely available.
Beasley plans to use drive-thru setups similar to how testing is done.
“You line up 10 or 12 of those, and you’re looking at doing mass-vaccinations immediately,” Beasley said.
There are obstacles, though.
The Pfizer vaccine is stored at -91 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning a lot of heavy-duty freezers. Right now, Atmar says, the company is working to get that closer to -20 F.
Huang says they haven’t purchased many freezers yet because it’s believed dry ice packaging will allow the vaccine to stay cold for several days.
The biggest challenge may be getting people to take it. Atmar says there’s still safety data to review.
“A certain percentage of the population is going to accept it, and some of the rest of the population is going to watch and see what happens to those who get it early on," Atmar said.
Some likely won't get the vaccine because they don't believe in any vaccines.
“If I'm satisfied, I will accept whatever vaccine's first available and try and be a role model for others," he said.
Even once the vaccine arrives, people should still wear masks and keep their distance for awhile.
“I would ask that we be patient because there’s a lot of us, but we are going to do our best to make sure that everyone gets what they need,” Beasley said.