Novavax: Large study finds COVID-19 vaccine about 90% effective

Gwen Baumgardner: WE WOKE UP TO BREAKING NEWS THIS MORNING — NOVA-VAX SAYS IT’S VACCINE IS 90 PERCENT EFFECTIVE.
THE BIO-TECH COMPANY RELEASED THE RESULTS THIS MORNING OF THEIR LATEST STUDY.
ONE INVOLVING MORE THAN 30-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE U-S AND MEXICO.
NOVA- VAX PLANS TO APPLY FOR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FDA IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
BUT IT’S NOT AS IF AMERICANS ARE RACING FOR VACCINES.
THE DEMAND FOR SHOTS IN THE US HAS DROPPED OFF DRAMATICALLY — LEAVING MANY PLACES WITH A SURPLUS OF DOSES.
THE C-D-C SAYS SOME 64 PERCENT OF U.S. ADULTS HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE DOSE — WHILE 54 PERCENT ARE CONSIDERED FULLY VACCINATED.
PERHAPS WHAT MAKES THE NEW VACCINE SO NEWS WORTHY IS IT’S IMPACT ON WORLD HEALTH.
STANLEY ERCK: “We need more vaccines. Just a fraction of the world’s population has been vaccinated. We need vaccines to go globally, particularly in low and middle income countries. And our vaccine is uniquely suited for that because it is stable with normal refrigerator temperatures and that will help.”
Gwen Baumgardner: THE OTHER REASON, NOVA-VAX STUDY IS SUCH A BIG DEAL — IT’S VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST VARIANTS.
RIGHT NOW — WITH THE NEW DELTA VARIANT SPREADING AROUND THE WORLD.
OVER THE WEEKEND — PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON EVEN HINTED AT DELAYING THE COUNTRY’S PLANNED REOPENING NEXT WEEK.
BORIS JOHNSON: “It’s clear that the Indian variant is more transmissible and it’s also true that the cases are going up and that the, the levels of hospitalization are going up. Now, we don’t know exactly to what extent that is going to feed through into extra mortality. But clearly it’s a matter of serious, serious concern.”