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The FDA's cutoff for Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness is 50 percent. What does that mean?
No vaccine is 100 percent effective, but some work better than others.
Nov. 3, 2020, 2:58 AM MST
By Jacqueline Stenson
Over the summer, the Food and Drug Administration announced that in order for an experimental Covid-19 vaccine to get the green light, it would need to be safe and prevent disease or decrease its severity in at least 50 percent of people who are vaccinated.
In fact, no vaccine is 100 percent effective, but some work better than others. One of the most successful is the measles vaccine two doses are 97 percent effective in preventing the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Still, 50 percent sounds like a far cry from 97 percent.
I know that 50 percent does sound low but that is still some protection, and some protection is better than no protection, said Dr. Jeff Kwong, professor of public health and family medicine and interim director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto.
Read more @ https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-s-cutoff-covid-19-vaccine-effectiveness-50-percent-what-n1245506
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)dflprincess
(28,089 posts)If that's the case, we could hope that the vaccine would at least make a bout of it less harmful.
marybourg
(12,644 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)better.
PSPS
(13,626 posts)jmg257
(11,996 posts)My bud at work had covid pretty bad in late February - tested recently to have no anti-bodies now.
Ms. Toad
(34,119 posts)than the seasonal flu vaccine is (on average).
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)SARS-COV-2 is that it transmits more efficiently when cold weather pack people together. It doesnt go away because the weather gets warmer, like the flu does.
SARS-COV-2 acts like its biological cousins, the common cold viruses, a person can catch a cold anytime of year.
Ms. Toad
(34,119 posts)The seasonal influenza vaccine is, on average, less than 50% effective.
I was providing a comparison for the OP who wanted to know what 50% effective meant.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Maybe it is just me showing uncertainty about SARS-COV-2. It seems that a person must be on the defensive against it at all times. One concern that I have is a vaccine may give people a false sense of defense if the rollout of the vaccine and education of the public doesnt go hand in hand with the vaccine rollout.
I know that I plan to wear my masks until there is a sure thing relative to the virus.
dawg day
(7,947 posts)It's not ideal, but now that we're better about hygiene and wearing masks, it will probably be enough to prevent many infections.
slumcamper
(1,606 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)that low of a threshold for something as dangerous as SARS-COV-2.
crickets
(25,988 posts)at least not right now and not from this vaccine.
June
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/28/health/fauci-coronavirus-vaccine-contact-tracing-aspen/index.html
Sept
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2020/09/25/fauci-we-just-have-to-hang-in-there-just-a-bit-longer-for-a-vaccine/?sh=5122843b427c
Whether 50% is still better than nothing, it seems like it would be.
From the article in the OP:
I would feel much better knowing that I got vaccinated and have some levels of virus-neutralizing antibody in my system, he said. Even if its not the best vaccine, it still could prevent me from going to the hospital or worse.
I reserve judgement until I see the sticker price.