<p>The coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer is 95 per cent effective and has passed its safety checks, according to further data from the company.<br/><br/>The pharmaceutical giant and its partner BioNTech published interim results last week showing the jab could prevent more than 90 per cent of people developing Covid-19.<br/><br/>That data was based on the first 94 volunteers to develop Covid-19, but further figures released on Wednesday are based on the first 170 cases of the virus in the clinical trial.<br/><br/>The vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised.<br/><br/>Another vaccine, from US company Moderna, was shown this week in early data to be almost 95 per cent effective.<br/><br/>The results of a vaccine study from Oxford University and AstraZeneca are expected soon.<br/><br/>Response<br/>The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to produce both an antibody and T-cell response in the body to fight coronavirus.<br/><br/>Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be able to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion in 2021.<br/><br/>On Tuesday, Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said the firm is preparing to file for emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration. – PA<br/></p><p>Published 18th November 2020 in Irish Times</p><p><a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/pfizer-says-vaccine-is-95-effective-against-covid-19-1.4412561" target="">https://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/pfizer-says-vaccine-is-95-effective-against-covid-19-1.4412561</a>​</p>