CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — A fourth COVID vaccine could soon be authorized for emergency use from the FDA. AstraZeneca released its findings from U.S.-based trials early Monday morning.
"This vaccine is safe and effective," said Dr. Pearl Philip with St. Luke's Infectious Disease, "79% effective in preventing symptomatic disease and 100% effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalizations across ages and ethnicities."
Those findings put the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the mix with the other COVID-19 vaccines available in the US. Like Moderna and Pfizer's shots, the AstraZeneca one — if approved — will also require two doses.
Unlike Moderna and Pfizer, the AstraZeneca one is more similar to the Johnson and Johnson shot.
"This technology has been in use since the 1970s," Dr. Philip said, " the earliest trials on COVID vaccine were done on this vaccine because they were utilizing a technology that has been used for decades."
Dr. Philips said the technology behind the vaccine has "history on its side."
Recent news has made countries already administering the vaccine temporarily pause their efforts due to blood clot concerns. Dr. Philip said those concerns are no longer warranted.
"There was an independent review board that looked at the safety of this vaccine, specifically looking at blood clots and they found that there were no increased numbers of blood clots compared to that of the general population," Dr. Philip said.
Adding to that, the U.S. clinical trials showed no evidence of blood clots or other complications.
If approved, we could see the AstraZeneca vaccine in clinics by early April.