COVID-19 hospitalizations up at KU Health System
Positive news about a COVID-19 vaccine was announced Monday morning by Pfizer.
In an announcement Monday morning, Pfizer said its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants who had no evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The Pfizer news release stated that there were 43,538 participants in a study, with 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in trial participants.
Pfizer stated in the release that it plans to submit its application for emergency use authorization to the FDA around the third week of November.
The clinical trial would continue to the final analysis to collect more data, according to the news release.
Distribution of the vaccine, after FDA approval, was expected to be at least a few months away, with health care workers and people at high risk among the first to receive it.
“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO, in the news release. “We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen. With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis. We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”
Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System discussed the announcement briefly on Monday morning during a news conference.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said a 90 percent rate was really effective.
“If it’s 90 percent that’s a game changer,” he said.
Until the vaccine is available, he encouraged people to continue wearing their masks, socially distancing and avoiding groups.
About 100 million doses have been ordered of the vaccine, due around the first of January, and it would probably be a year to get everyone vaccinated, he said.
The doctors said only sketchy information is available at this time, and they will be reviewing more detailed information in the future.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said there is a distribution plan, and front-line health care workers, first responders such as police and fire, and essential workers would be at the front of the list. Very sick patients and nursing home residents also would get priority.
Dr. Hawkinson announced the highest ever number of COVID-19 inpatients this morning at KU Health System.
There were 68 COVID-19 patients with acute infections, with 26 in the intensive care unit, 14 on ventilators and another 28 in the recovery phase, with three of those on ventilators on Monday, he said.
On Friday morning, KU Health System reported 53 active COVID-19 patients. On Friday morning there were 18 in the intensive care unit and 10 on ventilators, along with an additional 28 COVID-19 patients not classified as active.
From HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, there were 17 COVID-19 patients, including 12 active and five in the recovery phase. On Friday morning, HaysMed reported 22 COVID-19 patients, with 19 active and three in recovery.
For more information on the Pfizer vaccine, visit https://www.pfizer.com/news/hot-topics/albert_bourla_discusses_covid_19_vaccine_efficacy_results and https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against.