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Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

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Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#421

Post by abacadaba »

Kliment wrote: post #240
lfuller wrote: post #227

One question I have about mRNA vaccines that I haven't been able to find the answer to through my own searching: how is the mRNA delivered to the cell? All the articles I read say that the mRNA is "taken up by the cell", but what is the mechanism? Do cells naturally just absorb free-floating mRNA? Or is a modified virus used to inject the mRNA?

Very very simplified: Basically, you have a blob of fat that the mRNA sits in. The fat sticks to the cell, merges with the cell membrane and the mRNA pokes into the cell. It's not a modified virus, it's a much simpler structure but it has a similar mechanism. It's much simpler in that it can't replicate itself or do much else. It's literally just the code for a protein that's found on the surface of the covid virus,…

So no spike protein needed?

Safe to assume that in time these will evolve into new forms of fat-embeded rna virus which no living being has immunity to?

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#422

Post by dogma1138 »

abacadaba wrote: post #421
Kliment wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very very simplified: Basically, you have a blob of fat that the mRNA sits in. The fat sticks to the cell, merges with the cell membrane and the mRNA pokes into the cell. It's not a modified virus, it's a much simpler structure but it has a similar mechanism. It's much simpler in that it can't replicate itself or do much else. It's literally just the code for a protein that's found on the surface of the covid virus,…

So no spike protein needed? Safe to assume that in time these will evolve into new forms of fat-embeded rna virus which no living being has immunity to?

The mRNA contains the spike protein or at least a sufficient part of it for the immune system to recognize, as well as other genes.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#423

Post by bigpumpkin »

superfx wrote: post #21

Anyone know why China is not on the list of countries in which Pfizer is seeking regulatory approval?

Pfizer will start another smaller trial in China to generate local safety data, which will be combined with its global data as it seeks regulatory approval in china. [1]

[1]: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3110042/coro...

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#424

Post by dogma1138 »

CalRobert wrote: post #74
mindcrime wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same. I'm not an anti-vaxxer or anything like that. But I think "don't use version 1.0" advice applies here just like it does for software. Especially given the possibility that things have been "hurried" in the name of expediency in terms of getting the vaccine(s) developed, tested, and approved. The good news, in a sort of perverse sense, is that some delay to see what happens with "early adopters" is kinda inevita…

If the enemy is charging my base and someone offers me armor I'm not going to wait for all my fellow soldiers to try it out and see what happens.

The issue here isn’t is the armor effective but would it explode and kill you without even being hit.

There have been plenty of mishaps with vaccines the last swine vaccine for example had severe side effects that caused disabilities.

When you plan to vaccinate millions of people even 1% of severe long term side effects is something you can’t afford.

Having the companies also being essentially exempt from future damages also complicates things because people might suffer from life altering side effects and would not be compensated for.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#425

Post by Kliment »

abacadaba wrote: post #421
Kliment wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very very simplified: Basically, you have a blob of fat that the mRNA sits in. The fat sticks to the cell, merges with the cell membrane and the mRNA pokes into the cell. It's not a modified virus, it's a much simpler structure but it has a similar mechanism. It's much simpler in that it can't replicate itself or do much else. It's literally just the code for a protein that's found on the surface of the covid virus,…

So no spike protein needed? Safe to assume that in time these will evolve into new forms of fat-embeded rna virus which no living being has immunity to?

No, they won't. They can't survive for long enough inside the body, and are even less durable outside.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#426

Post by bradlys »

ghaff wrote: post #402
meibo wrote: post #307

Slightly off topic, but it's crazy how polarized this topic is - even on HN. Try scrolling through this thread with dead comments on. Many of them are probably trolls, still, it's weird to me.

TBH, it's concerning. Not that HN is immune from strongly-held polarizing opinions. But, it's pretty obvious that for a lot of people, you're either in camp "Get it as soon as available, no questions asked" or you're an anti-vaxxer. (Personally, I'll get it as soon as I can.) But this has all the signs of getting very ugly once a vaccine becomes available. I certainly don't expect the military to hold people down and…

The people I know who are waiting on getting the vaccine are fine with having the same lockdown type precautions. (Wearing masks, not seeing people as frequently, less travel, working remotely, etc.)

The people I know who are cautious with getting the vaccine are below 50. So, they’ll have to wait a while anyway. Most of us are not like... wait years for effects to emerge. More like 6-12 months after initial rollout.

I’m one of those people. I’m fine with still being remote and wearing a mask when in stores or whatever. I’m not going to go to any dances anytime soon even if I had the shot anyway. Effectiveness isn’t 100% after all. (Is there an easy way to tell if you’re immune after without any risk? That’d be nice...)

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#427

Post by rrrrrrrrrrrryan »

gentleman11 wrote: post #403

I have a friend who is very anxious about how quickly these vaccines were developed. What can I tell them to reassure them that it is safe?

This NYT article clicked with me: https://outline.com/bVnccw

If our best and brightest doctors are opting to get the vaccines for themselves, I feel safe doing the same - it's probably the most clear and obvious signal we're going to get.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#428

Post by coolspot »

FooBarWidget wrote: post #286
grezql wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"yes you can sell here, we only need to know the ingredients and know-how of this vaccine to approve its safety"

The requirement of forming joint ventures has been dropped since 2014. The 'forced tech transfer' rhetoric has been out of date since the first day of the trade war.

This page says any manufacturing except electric automobiles and airplanes is subject to 50% requirement as of 2018:

https://www.mondaq.com/china/export-controls-trade-investmen...

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#429

Post by Irene »

smrk007 wrote: post #370
Irene wrote: post #13

Pfizer selected New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas for their pilot delivery program "due to the states' immunization infrastructures, urban and rural variations, size and population diversity". First batches of vaccine will probably go to frontline medical workers first, followed by frail old people. a paper in Medrxiv favored "older first" model based on evolutionary game theory and mobility data, for lar…

Can I get a link to the Medarxiv paper? Would be an interesting read.

I was referring to this paper: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/medrxiv/early/2020/09/27/202...

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#430

Post by fuzxi »

floatingatoll wrote: post #206
ghaff wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I fully expect that once it is widely available (major caveat), many workplaces and schools will require it absent medical exceptions. Certainly, most schools require vaccinations today and I don't expect there will be a lot of sympathy for those that want to hold off.

I don’t think voluntary exceptions will be granted for Covid, and I’m hard-pressed to come up with a case where an involuntary medical exception would be necessary for someone that is mobile. (No doubt a one in a billion case exists, of course.)

Immunocompomised people can be mobile and still lack the defenses necessary to tolerate a vaccine. I know one personally; he jogs by my house every evening, but by his own estimation, a flu vaccine would almost certainly land him in the hospital.
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