ANSWERS TO 23 KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES

An army larger than any in the world is about to fight a common enemy – COVID-19 coronavirus.  The nations of the world will be singularly devoted to achieve one objective: halt the spread and mortality emanating from a lung infection caused by a mutated coronavirus.

Operation Warp Speed aims to deliver millions of doses of a COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine by January, 2021.  United Parcel Service is building "freezer farms," refrigerated storehouses to hold vaccines and is preparing for home delivery of vaccines and a team of nurses to immunize locked-down populations.  Billions of dollars of vaccines have been pre-ordered on the presumption a vaccine will pass Stage 3, achieve FDA licensure and enter into common use (Stage 4).

Vaccines intended for COVID-19 prevention need to enroll 3000 participants and show they are relatively safe, preferably compared to a placebo, among young healthy adults and elderly populations.  (FDA Guidance page 15).  According to the CDC, Phase 3 trials typically last several years.  So, shortcuts are being taken.  A recent poll finds 69% of Americans worry that  fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccines won't be safe.