Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Is Highly Effective After One Dose and Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers

The Wall Street Journal reports that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE not only generates robust immunity after one dose, but can also be stored in ordinary freezers rather than at ultracold temperatures. The new data released by both companies provides strong arguments in favor of delaying the second dose of the two-shot vaccine. Additionally, the findings could have substantial implications on vaccine policy and distribution worldwide, simplifying the logistics of distributing the vaccine. According to a peer-reviewed study conducted by Sheba Medical Center in Israel and published in the Lancet medical journal, a single shot of the vaccine is 85 percent effective in preventing symptomatic disease 15 to 28 days after being administered. Pfizer and BioNTech recommend that a second dose is administered 21 days after the first. According to the article's author, "the finding is a vindication of the approach taken by the U.K. government to delay a second dose by up to 12 weeks so it could use limited supplies to deliver a single dose to more people, and could encourage others to follow suit."