the usual testing
PRECLINICAL TESTING: Scientists test a new vaccine on cells and then give it to animals such as mice or monkeys to see if it produces an immune response.
PHASE 1 SAFETY TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to a small number of people to test safety and dosage, as well as to confirm that it stimulates the immune system.
PHASE 2 EXPANDED TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to hundreds of people split into groups, such as children and the elderly, to see if the vaccine acts differently in them. These trials further test the vaccine’s safety.
PHASE 3 EFFICACY TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to thousands of people and wait to see how many become infected, compared with volunteers who received a placebo. These trials can determine if the vaccine protects against the coronavirus, measuring what’s known as the efficacy rate. Phase 3 trials are also large enough to reveal evidence of relatively rare side effects.
as far as I can tell pfizer has been in stage 3 since sometime between may and July
Thank you for that post.
Still, the time lapse is only a matter of months, where standard protocol is years. Therefore, no one can possibly know at this point what the long term consequences might be, correct?
Also, I understand the virus has never actually been isolated, a necessary step to develop a vaccine. In other words, Kochs Postulate has never been satisfied.
But maybe it doesn’t make a difference since they are fooling with a person’s RNA and not actually injecting a weakened virus so the host can produce antibodies.
Do I have all this right?
From what I have read this vaccine was not tested on the elderly and frail, yet last week it was voted to roll it out to nursing homes and they have no idea what may happen.