Good News Thread - part 2

[KitKatastrophe]

Thank you to those who have contributed to the good news thread over the past few weeks. We are at 40 pages so here is a new one to continue sharing good news stories :)

@Fizbosshoes

Prof John bell of Oxford, asked on radio 4 just now, will life be back to normal by spring next year, a resounding yes

Omg!! That would be amazing, if hes right (and I trust him 100 x more than any politician!). I love this thread

Oh my god light at the end of the tunnel

What with the US elections and this, 2020 has just taken a significant turn for the better.

DH and I have invented a "Vaccine Dance", involving hopping round the kitchen doing a V sign (for vaccine, of course).

I think it might catch on!

We'll need a video of that then so we can all join in

BBC always cautious and Fergus Walsh said ‘this could be it’.
He also said it bodes well for other vaccines in development .

I would think as a small, temperate, developed country the -70 requirement is going to be relatively easily achievable. Fingers crossed that at least one of the vaccines will be less sensitive, for all the places where getting it out to people will be more of a challenge.

@FuzzyPuffling

DH and I have invented a "Vaccine Dance", involving hopping round the kitchen doing a V sign (for vaccine, of course).

I think it might catch on!

Dh just came in to tell me what John Bell had said. I want to hear him- I was watching bbc tv news which had someone who had worked in vaccine regulation and so was very keen to remind us how important the hoops were through which it still had to jump.
Dh also pointed out to me that the 90% figure is likely to persuade more otherwise reluctant people to have it - anyone who thinks it’s risky would have been even less willing to take the risk if protection was only just over 50%.

Hope returns, bloody fantastic, am in tears.

“Prof John bell of Oxford, asked on radio 4 just now, will life be back to normal by spring next year, a resounding yes“

No. He said yes to “returning to normal”. He was optimistic but not that optimistic! He was also very encouraging about what it means for other vaccines - that the immune response was similar in AZ and Moderna ones to this Pfizer one so he’s hopeful of high efficacy for those too. But big challenges ahead too.

I think the Pfizer vaccine is developed on mRNA technology so is quick and easy to reproduce at great volume. Which hopefully means that stocks can be replenished quickly!

Listening to BBC world at one as I missed it

‘A great day for science and humanity’ indeed.

@Numberblock7

“Prof John bell of Oxford, asked on radio 4 just now, will life be back to normal by spring next year, a resounding yes“

No. He said yes to “returning to normal”. He was optimistic but not that optimistic! He was also very encouraging about what it means for other vaccines - that the immune response was similar in AZ and Moderna ones to this Pfizer one so he’s hopeful of high efficacy for those too. But big challenges ahead too.

Semantics Yes I've just listened back (44.40) and it is 'returning to normal' but he does say it with 'some confidence'. It still makes me cry every time I hear it though.

Listening to him now just hearing him talk about what a huge thing it is to be able to vaccinate against this when we can’t for others (HIV / malaria) is astounding. It wasn’t a given. God love these scientists.

Just heard the normal bit. Oh my god a few tears

This is very positive news. Light at the end of the tunnel just got brighter!

Please forgive an uneducated question but can anyone tell me how the vaccine is made? I know it’s an MRNA vaccine but the flu vaccine is egg based and I know others in design used insects and another used products from aborted foetuses. Not meaning to cause upset but I would be interested to know the origins of this one.

@MadisonAvenue

Checked my phone while out walking the dog, burst into tears. Got home, my husband’s back to WFH and he was waiting on the drive to tell me 😂

I am so so relieved by the news but this is the post that made me properly grin for the first time today.

Yes that John Bell interview was something I won’t ever forget I don’t think. Like a chink of light in a grey sky (scuse the cheesiness).

Listening to the press conference

I know I’m missing something but why don’t the vaccine trials show results on stopping asymptomatic spread? Wouldn’t unblinding show if one group had fewer positive PCR tests.

Obviously not but I’m missing why (might be blindingly obvious but can’t think)

@MarshaBradyo

Listening to the press conference

I know I’m missing something but why don’t the vaccine trials show results on stopping asymptomatic spread? Wouldn’t unblinding show if one group had fewer positive PCR tests.

Obviously not but I’m missing why (might be blindingly obvious but can’t think)

I think the trials would show that, but we don’t know the details yet because all we know for now is what was in Pfizer’s press release.

Dr John Campbell’s video on vaccines

Ah ok Hancock on R4 talking about effecting disease but not knowing if it will the epidemic until it’s rolled out. Not exact words but on now if anyone wants to relisten.

Can I just say how happy I am that we ordered this vaccine. So relieved. It would be hard to hear this news but still have to wait a year or so to get on order list.

He also talked about a rolling review by vaccine body

There’s been a lot of negativity on here in general but I really am so impressed with scientific etc standards in U.K. (and elsewhere) and so grateful and relieved

Also lost in the Pfizer news the AstraZeneca boss said that they're getting close and if the approval process is quick they could vaccinate people in December.

Ely Lilly’s antibody drug is to get emergency approval in the US as it is shown to drastically reduce hospitalisations