Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
What Side Effects Should You Expect From The COVID Shot?
CNBC: Trump Covid Vaccine Czar: Side Effects 'Significantly Noticeable' In Up To 15% Of Recipients
President Donald Trump’s coronavirus vaccine czar said Tuesday that Pfizer’s and Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines are safe, with only 10% to 15% of volunteers reporting side effects that were “significantly noticeable.” The side effects, which come from the vaccine shots, can last up to a day and a half, said Dr. Moncef Slaoui, who is leading the Trump administration’s Covid-19 vaccine program Operation Warp Speed. The people who’ve suffered from side effects have reported redness and pain at the injection site as well as fever, chills, muscle aches and headaches, he said, adding most people have no noticeable side effects. (Lovelace Jr., 12/1)
Boston Herald: What Side Effects Could You Get From A COVID Vaccine? Companies Report Fatigue, Fever
A coronavirus vaccine could be approved for distribution in priority groups as early as this month, according to health officials, but the desperately needed vaccine does not come without side effects. Moderna and Pfizer are the only two companies that have submitted data for their mRNA vaccine candidates to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization. Below are the side effects reported by trial participants, according to the companies. (Cohan, 12/1)
USA Today: Will There Be Side Effects From A COVID-19 Vaccine? When Can You Get It? We Answer Your Vaccine Questions.
Most people who get a COVID-19 vaccine will endure side effects, particularly after a second dose. All three candidate vaccines reported mild or moderate side effects, mostly pain at the injection site, fatigue, and aching muscles and joints for a day or two. "A sore arm and feeling crummy for a day or two is a lot better than COVID," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of health policy and of preventive medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. (Rodriguez and Hauck, 12/2)
In other vaccine news —
The Hill: Health Groups Pledge Transparency About COVID-19 Vaccine Plans
Top health groups on Tuesday pledged to be open and transparent about their plans for vaccinating communities across the country against the coronavirus. In an open letter to the American public, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association and the American Medical Association said they are committed to establishing and sharing safe and effective processes for administering a COVID-19 vaccine. (Weixel, 12/1)
Stat: How To Get The Most Of Covid-19 Vaccines — And Not Squander Our Chance
It appears science may have found the Covid-19 pandemic’s off-ramp. Two vaccines developed with stunning speed — and showing remarkable initial efficacy — are poised to be approved for emergency use in the United States in December. A number of other vaccines are expected to follow. (Branswell, 12/2)
Stat: How Nanotechnology Helps MRNA Covid-19 Vaccines Work
While the first two Covid-19 vaccines relying on messenger RNA technology speed toward regulatory approval in the U.S., it’s worth remembering the vehicle that gets them where they need to go in the body. Lipid nanoparticles are the fatty molecular envelopes that help strands of mRNA — the genetic messenger for making DNA code into proteins — evade the body’s biological gatekeepers and reach their target cell without being degraded. They are enabling some of the most advanced technologies being used in vaccines and drugs. (Cooney, 12/1)
USA Today: Deliver A Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine In Less Than A Year? Impossible. Meet Moncef Slaoui.
In 2009, a flu pandemic was racing across the world when a venture capital firm that backs health care companies held its annual retreat. The meeting was a who's who of pharmaceutical and biotechnology executives – the top leaders of the top companies in the world. One man pulled together a group of his peers and issued a directive: "We are going to work together to make something happen here." (Weintraub, 12/1)
