Wettlauf um Coronavirus Vakzine infographic
Grafik erklärt die Herstellung der RNA Vakzine und den derzeitigen Stand der Entwicklung von Impfstoffen.
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GESUNDHEIT

Wettlauf um Coronavirus Impfstoff

By Duncan Mil

November 11, 2020 - Großangelegte klinische Prüfungen einer RNA Coronavirus Vakzine, die von dem US Pharmariesen Pfizer und dessen Partner in Deutschland, der BioNTech, zeigen, dass diese Vakzine zu 90% wirkungsvoll ist und keine ernsten Sicherheitsbedenken bestehen.

Public health officials have welcomed the first successful preliminary results from a large-scale clinical test. However, mass roll-outs need regulatory approval -- Pfizer and BioNTech expect to seek U.S. emergency use authorization, raising the chance of a regulatory decision as soon as December.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which produces synthetic genes that instruct the human body to produce proteins that then develop protective antibodies.

The vaccine requires storage at minus 70 degrees celsius, requires distribution through expensive infrastructure, including deep-freeze airport warehouses and refrigerated vehicles.

Vaccination centres will receive boxes of 1,000 vials packed in dry ice -- the solid form of carbon dioxide. The shots must be thawed, stored in fridges at 2-8 degrees celsius and injected within a maximum of five days.

The European Union confirmed a request of up to 300 million doses on Tuesday. Pfizer already has orders from Japan, the U.S., Britain, Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

The cost of distributing the Pfizer vaccine will likely heighten existing fears that wealthier nations will get the best vaccines first. Covax, a World Health Organization-led collective vaccine distribution regime, aims to raise $18 billion to purchase vaccines for poorer countries.

More than 140 drugmakers and research groups around the globe have been racing to develop vaccines against Covid-19, which exceeded 50 million cases on Sunday (November 8).

Sources
PUBLISHED: 11/11/2020; STORY: Graphic News
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