Many thanks ⁦ @AymanM⁩ hosting me ⁦ @MSNBC⁩ on this first full day of #covid19 vaccination in America. I explained why the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is both effect and safe and = the culmination of 17 years of R&D from a community of CoV virologists including our group

The vaccine then went through a rigorous phase 1 and 2 trials, showing that we need to 2 doses to get the virus neutralizing antibodies up, and then a large 44,000 person phase 3 trial equivalent in size to any typical vaccine trial in the US

After that it will go through rigorous post EUA monitoring through VAERS VSD and additional FDA and CDC monitoring.

The point: these COVID19 vaccines are not rushed. The only “warp speed” components are company press releases written for shareholders and lousy branding by the US federal government, together with collection of initial efficacy/safety data for 2-3 months not waiting a full year

At 3,000 deaths per day we can’t wait a full year for product licensure, if you do the math the death toll would be staggering