AstraZeneca says its coronavirus vaccine is up to 90% effective
Operation Warp Speed director says vaccinations could begin in mid-December; Laura Ingle reports.
AstraZeneca and Oxford said Monday their vaccine was as much as 90% effective in preventing COVID-19, marking the latest candidate to inch closer toward approval. In a press release posted early Monday, the companies said there were no hospitalizations or severe cases of disease in trial participants who received the vaccine.
This marks the third such company to prepare to submit data for emergency approval.
Pfizer and partner BioNTech announced plans to request emergency approval for their coronavirus vaccine candidate last Friday. More specifically, the pair submitted an application for emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
FAST FACTS
- Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit for at least six months
- As of early Monday, the coronavirus has infected more than 12,254,000 people in the U.S., resulting in at least 256,800 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University
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