December 12 coronavirus news

Because there’s limited information about how well the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine works in the general population, vaccinated people should continue to follow all the current guidelines about how to protect themselves and others, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Community on Immunization Practices was told during a meeting on Saturday.

That guidance includes wearing masks, staying 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and washing hands frequently.

The CDC’s Dr. Sarah Mbaeyi said information is currently limited on how much the vaccine may reduce disease severity or transmission, and how long protection lasts. Mbaeyi noted during the presentation that protection from the two-dose series of vaccine is not immediate, and no vaccine is 100% effective.

The US Army general in charge of distributing America’s first coronavirus vaccines says he’s confident it will be done safely, even if it’s not done perfectly.

Perna said the federal government was only delivering half the doses on hand, because Pfizer’s vaccine, which received US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization Friday, requires two doses.

“For me, it's a moral responsibility and obligation to make sure that second dose is available for the American people,” Perna said. “We want to ensure the vaccine arrives safely and that it can be effectively administered once arrival occurs. I t is so important that all vaccine that's available is utilized as a shot in an arm and nothing is wasted."

Perna said vaccines should be delivered Monday.

“The reason why we're holding on to the second dose, as well as some reserve, is that we don't have absolute confidence in the cadence – not because Pfizer or Moderna or the supporting manufacturers and fill-finishes aren’t diligent in their process. But it is such a delicate process, we want to ensure perfection in the vaccine because we don't want anything going into an arm that would be a problem,” Perna said.

Hear how the Pfizer vaccine will be distributed:

The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is not interchangeable with other Covid-19 vaccines, and the safety and efficacy of mixing vaccines has not been evaluated, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Community on Immunization Practices was told during a meeting on Saturday.

People who are vaccinated initially with the Pfizer vaccine should complete the series with that product, CDC’s Dr. Sarah Mbaeyi said during a presentation to the committee.

The CDC noted that both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech are necessary for protection, and the efficacy of a single dose has not been evaluated in a systemic way.

Vaccine maker Moderna has submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of its mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

Data from clinical trials suggest the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is safe and likely effective in people who were previously infected with the coronavirus, and vaccination should be offered to them, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Community on Immunization Practices was told during a meeting on Saturday.

Diagnostic or antibody testing is not recommended for vaccine decision-making, CDC’s Dr. Sarah Mbaeyi said during a presentation to the committee.

However, people with a current infection should not be vaccinated until a person has recovered, if they had symptoms, and if they’re clear to leave isolation. There’s no recommended minimum period between infection and vaccination, but since it appears reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection, vaccination could be delayed until near the end of that period.

People who have a known Covid-19 exposure shouldn’t seek vaccination until their quarantine period has ended, to avoid exposing health care workers and others.

However, residents of long-term care facilities, for example, are already in contact with workers and they can be vaccinated, even if they’ve been exposed.

More info: There’s no safety or efficacy data for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in people who were treated for Covid-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, Mbaeyi said, but vaccination should be deferred for at least 90 days “as a precautionary measure, until additional information becomes available to avoid interference of the treatment with vaccine-induced immune responses.”

Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccines are still being packaged before being shipped to states, Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, said at a news conference Saturday.

Perna said federal officials and vaccine maker Pfizer were aiming to distribute the vaccine Monday, once the US Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization, which came Friday evening.

Federal health officials have repeatedly promised a coronavirus vaccine would be rolling out within 24 hours of an EUA. 

McKesson is the medical supplies company the federal government has contracted with to help distribute coronavirus vaccines.

“The important part, as I said in my statement, was we want to make sure that the vaccine arrives at a time period where people, the professionals are available to receive it and then eventually administer it. So as a decision (was) made, and I adjusted the sliding scale hourly and daily,” Perna added. “Our ultimate goal was to get it there no later than Monday morning, through distribution. So as I speak today right now, vaccines are being packaged, with a lot of emphasis on the quality assurance. To that end, tomorrow morning vaccines will start rolling from manufacturing to distribution hubs. And then Monday, by Monday, vaccinations will be received.”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Community on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Saturday discussed the willingness among nurses to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

The committee discussed a reluctance to get vaccinated among nurses included in focus groups and surveys – especially those from racial or ethnic minority groups.

Others said that they felt confident that nurses will be willing to get vaccinated, especially after receiving public health education.

Some states are planning to vaccinate health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities all together in one group as Covid-19 vaccines arrive at sites, a top Operation Warp Speed official said Saturday. 

It would be a more efficient way to use vaccines that must be stored carefully and used quickly, Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, said at a news conference.

Some background: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the very first vaccines should go to frontline health care workers most at risk of catching and transmitting the virus, and to residents of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, who make up the bulk of those killed in the pandemic so far.

It’s up to states to decide who actually gets vaccines distributed to them. Operation Warp Speed expects to start shipping about 2.9 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine Sunday.

Doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccines will start moving out within 24 hours, Gen. Gus Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, said Saturday.

The US Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine Friday evening.

“At the sites, the vaccine will marry up with the ancillary kits that we've already distributed. These kits include needles syringes, dilutant and other supplies necessary to administer the shots," Perna said.

No vaccines were pre-positioned, Perna said.

“We did not want to presume EUA (emergency use authorization),” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it has cleared pilots to receive the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine. 

There is a 48-hour waiting period after each dose of the vaccine before a pilot may resume duties.   

Until now, the FAA has required that vaccines and medications be approved for use by medical certificate holders. 

Earlier this week: The FAA told CNN it would quickly review the safety of each coronavirus vaccine following FAA authorization.   

This does not mean that pilots are actively in line to receive the vaccine imminently. Industry organizations and unions this week urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to put airline workers on priority lists for vaccination.