GEE AND URSULA

Virologist: Vaccine trials appear effective, but will be a while before public has access

Aug 6, 2020, 5:46 AM

vaccine trials...

Pedestrians wearing a protective mask walks past Pfizer Inc. headquarters on July 22, 2020 in New York City. Pfizer and German biotechnology firm BioNTech have agreed to supply the U.S. government with 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine under a $1.95 billion deal. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

Coronavirus vaccine trials seem to come in fits and starts, but there are numerous trials operating at the moment that are showing somewhat positive signs. How close is a vaccine to becoming a reality, and what will it look like in terms of safety when they first become available to the public? Columbia virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen joined the Gee and Ursula Show on KIRO Radio to discuss.

“There are several vaccines that have been putting out data regarding their clinical trials as well as preclinical studies. And the good news is that there are numerous vaccine candidates that appeared to be effective at generating immunity in people, meaning they infused neutralizing antibodies, which are antibodies that are capable of rendering the virus noninfectious but also, in many cases, appear to induce T-cell responses that we think are associated with antiviral immunity,” she said.

Listening to callers’ experiences after four months of coronavirus

Some may be hesitant to take the initial vaccines when they first come on the market. What are some of the concerns with the seemingly rapid progress toward vaccines?

“So I know a lot of people have been concerned that so-called Operation Warp Speed is moving so fast that too many corners are going to be cut with regard to the normal vaccine development pipeline. And this is a concern,” Rasmussen said. “I think that as long as we are approving vaccines and making them available for use based on hard data obtained in phase three clinical trials, that would be enough for me to justify taking the vaccine.”

Current measures ‘insufficient’ to reduce transmission compared to stay home orders

While trials are promising, it still may take a long time for the vaccines to be available to the public even after they’ve been approved.

“I think one thing to keep in mind here, though, is that when these vaccines are approved — provided they have gone through a rigorous clinical trial — it’s still going to be some months before they’re available to everybody,” Rasmussen said. “Initially, people will be prioritized based on certainly professions, like front line health care workers who are at increased exposure risk. That’s going to depend a lot on these clinical trials and what the results are in terms of their safety profiles and their efficacy profiles in these different groups.”

“So it’s going to be a while before most people will even have access to the vaccines once they’re approved, so we may have more data by the time these show up in your local Walgreens or doctor’s office.”

To listen to the rest of the interview covering school reopenings and mask usage, click here.

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Gee and Ursula Show

Gee and Ursula

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

6 hours ago

Photo: Yale players, including guard Yassine Gharram, center, celebrate with fans after their 78-76...

Julia Dallas

Gee and Ursula: Idaho band turns ‘Van-Dogs’ as they rep. Yale for March Madness

Yale took down Auburn in a major upset during March Madness. But, they might've not been able to do it without the help of a marching band.

3 days ago

boeing negligence...

Ursula Reutin

Ursula: Boeing has finally taken a step in the right direction

Boeing CEO David Calhoun acknowledged that the mid-air blowout of an Alaska Airlines door panel was a watershed.

3 days ago

Image: Photo of "The Ascent" by Larry Anderson...

Julia Dallas

‘Gee and Ursula’: Bonney Lake mayor search reveals ‘tea’ on candidate

The City of Bonney Lake is searching for a new mayor after the former mayor accepted a job with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

10 days ago

Both President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump have locked the nomination for their respectiv...

Bill Kaczaraba

Medved: ‘People didn’t really know (or care) there was a primary’

Medved believes that people are unhappy with their choices during this presidential cycle.

12 days ago

Photo: The homeless encampment outside city hall is being moved around Burien to another home at Do...

Ursula Reutin

Ursula: The Burien homeless crisis highlights an even bigger problem

Because of the lack of alternatives, the King County Sheriff has ordered her deputies to not enforce a camping ban in Burien.

16 days ago

Virologist: Vaccine trials appear effective, but will be a while before public has access