After eight daunting months of battling COVID-19, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel as two potential vaccine candidates recently announced promising test results.
Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are similar in that they both use emerging technology called messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to reach nearly 95 percent efficacy. Typically, scientists create vaccines by using live or inactivated virus cells, which puts the actual disease into a person’s body. However, with mRNA technology, Pfizer and Moderna were able to avoid that. MRNA carries coded instructions that tell cells what defenses are necessary by appearing as a threat.
Of Course, There's a Catch
The use of the molecule is groundbreaking for a number of reasons. One is the speed at which the vaccines were developed. The other is that the use of mRNA means the vaccines contain no infectious COVID-19 properties that could get patients sick.
However, there is a drawback to the vaccines: they have to be stored in brutally cold temperatures.
Under normal circumstances, vaccines can survive when stored at around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but for Moderna, the vials must be stored at -4 degrees.
For Pfizer's vaccine, the threshold for keeping an effective dose is even steeper at a staggering -94 degrees. The icy temperatures are necessary to keep the mRNA molecule intact, otherwise it “begins to fall apart and twist around in ways so that it doesn’t become effective,” a representative for the pharmaceutical giant told Cheddar.
Vaccine Storage & Distribution Roadblock
With the need for cold storage comes the obstacle of how to pull off widespread distribution. Most hospitals in the U.S. do not house facilities that meet the requirements to store either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines for extended periods. Both vaccines are able to survive in typical storing temperatures of 35 to 46 degrees, but their shelf lives are limited that way.
For Pfizer, the vaccine would no longer be effective after five days in normal storage temperatures. Moderna, meanwhile, shows more promise when it comes to effective distribution as it’s vaccines appear to remain effective for a month while stored 35 degrees.
Pfizer has come up with a plan to ship its vaccine in boxes filled with dry ice. The vials will remain protected for up to 15 days -- but the container can only be opened up to two times per day.
This could be a logistical nightmare for parts of the world that don't have sufficient equipment - or enough dry ice - to keep the vaccines. Even in rural America, many hospitals don't have freezers that can keep doses cold enough, particularly for the Pfizer vaccine.
Getting Vaccinated
So what does this mean for you? Once the FDA approves emergency use authorization of either one or both of the vaccines, it looks like they will likely be distributed first among populations that need it the most: frontline healthcare workers, the elderly, and those suffering from underlying health conditions.
Like several existing vaccinations for other conditions, both Pfizer and Moderna require two rounds of treatment in order for the body to build up complete immunity. For those receiving the Pfizer vaccine, patients will need to return for a second dose after three weeks and for those getting the Moderna vaccine, they'll have to go back for round two after four weeks.
Video produced by Ali Larkin. Article written by Lawrence Banton.
Plant-based meat giant Beyond Meat's reign over the fast food world continues, as McDonald's announced that it is expanding its test of Beyond's McPlant burger, to nearly 600 restaurants, an increase from the eight that it's been testing in since November. This comes less than two weeks after Beyond Fried Chicken made its nationwide debut at KFC restaurants, the first time that plant based chicken has been widely distributed in a fast food capacity. Arun Sundaram, Senior Equity Analyst at CFRA Research explains why these latest collaborations may be proof that Beyond Meat products could slowly be becoming an unlikely staple in the fast food and chain restaurant world as consumers opt for more healthy food options.
BD Veritor is a variation of the at-home COVID test that uses a smartphone to interpret the results. The test is taken via a nose swab test strip that is then scanned by your phone’s camera with the result clearly displayed as positive or negative. James Walker, vice president of integrated diagnostics USA for BD, joined Cheddar to discuss how the test hopefully takes the "guesswork out of testing." Walker also went into what BD is doing to deal with the surging demand for at-home tests amid the omicron spread. "While we don't disclose how much we produce, we have capacity to manufacture up to 12 million rapid antigen tests per month and are delivering on our commitments to distributors and retailers," he said.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Sidechef CEO breaks down how it's building a platform to make recipe shopping easy; Luum CEO explains the process of having a robot put on eyelash extensions; A look at Curiosity Stream's new original series, 'Evolve.'
Moderna launched a clinical trial of a COVID-19 booster shot specifically targeting the omicron variant. The first participant has already received a dose, and Moderna expects to enroll about 600 adults total, split between two groups. In the first group, participants will have previously received two doses of the Moderna vaccine, and in the second, participants will have received its booster. Dr. Paul Burton, chief medical officer at Moderna, joined Cheddar’s Opening Bell to discuss the trial, yearly boosters, and what lies ahead for the company.
With the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics right around the corner, experts are warning that climate change is threatening not only the event but also the future of snow sports. Despite being the world's top polluter, China is hoping to use the event to demonstrate the country's commitment to fighting climate change, and pledging to host a "low carbon" games. Xubin Zeng, professor of hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona, joins Cheddar News.
New research is suggesting that giving extra cash to low-income mothers can actually influence the brain development of their infants. These findings provide the first rigorous evidence of how payments and monetary support can affect children in the early years of life. Authors of the study, Nathan Fox, professor in the department of human development at the University of Maryland, and Sonya Troller-Renfree, postdoctoral research associate at Teachers College at Columbia University, join Cheddar News to discuss.
Communities of color are disproportionately affected by climate change and continuously feel the impacts. Mark Magaña, founding president and CEO of Green Latinos joined All Hands to discuss.
