Pfizer CEO 'not sure' if its COVID-19 vaccine will prevent transmission after vaccination

Pfizer Inc’s CEO Albert Bourla has said that the company is “not certain” if its COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed in collaboration with German drugmaker BioNTech SE prevented the transmission of the novel coronavirus. In a recent interview with NBC, when Bourla was asked by the host if he will be able to transmit the infection to other people if he is immunised, Pfizer CEO replied that “it needs to be examined”. Bourla’s response was one of the highlights before the special was released before special, just days after the UK became the world’s first country to give formal authorisation to Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine for mass rollout. 

“I think this is something that needs to be examined. We are not certain about that right now with what we know,” Bourla told NBC.

UK on December 2 became the first country in the world to approve Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine candidate for widespread use. The British regulator, MHRA has said that the mRNA-based vaccine that has shown 95 per cent efficacy, is safe for mass roll out with immunisations in the country starting "early next week" among the high priority groups. Britain has reportedly already placed an order of 40 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to provide the double-dose immunisation to at least 20 million people. 

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UK's MHRA says 'no corners cut' to approve vaccine

The CEO of MHRA, Dr June Raine reiterated that the “first” priority on immunisation is the safety of the citizens. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on December 2 assured that the mRNA-based vaccine is 95 per cent effective “irrespective of age, sex or race”. 

In the news briefing, it was also informed that the MHRA is working “hard” to deliver the immunisation to all the people starting from the ones most vulnerable people. MHRA said that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is similar to other vaccines that are developed across the world “and the side effects are very low” with no specific precautions or tests required before inoculation. Raine expressed confidence in the approval and assured that the safety of the vaccine has been scrutinised with 'no stone being left unturned'.

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