A key weapon in the ongoing struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023 will continue to be the Pfizer Biontech COVID-19 vaccine. Millions of individuals have received the vaccine worldwide since it was first authorized for emergency use in December 2020, and it has been proven to be remarkably safe and effective.
The Pfizer Biontech vaccine is a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine that instructs cells to create a protein that is present on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to protect against infection. The immune system detects this protein as foreign when it is created and starts to make antibodies to combat it. A person will be protected against COVID-19 if they are subsequently exposed to the genuine virus since their immune system will be ready to do so.
Clinical tests have revealed that the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine is highly effective at preventing COVID-19 infection. In a large-scale clinical trial involving over 43,000 participants, the vaccine was found to be 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection after two doses were administered. This level of protection was observed across all age groups and was similarly effective against different variants of the virus, including the highly transmissible Delta variant.
The Pfizer-Biontech vaccine has also been shown to be safe, with only mild to moderate side effects reported. The most commonly reported side effects include pain and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. These side effects are typically short-lived and go away on their own within a few days.
In addition to its safety and efficacy, the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine has also demonstrated the ability to reduce the transmission of the virus. A study conducted in Israel found that the vaccine was 89% effective at reducing the transmission of the virus among household members of vaccinated individuals.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that the benefits of the vaccine clearly outweigh risks, the verdict could compel those with apprehension to favor adenovirus-type vaccines offered by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. Those shots faced safety concerns of their own earlier this year over rare but severe cases of blood clots, which led to fatalities. After an investigation, J&J's vaccine now carries a warning in the U.S.
The latest ruling comes in response to reports of young people, mostly males, developing myocarditis—inflammation of the heart—or pericarditis—inflammation of the heart’s membrane—mostly after a second dose of either mRNA vaccine. The CDC reports that 309 people have been hospitalized, with all but 14 discharged so far. There have been no reported deaths.
As of 2023, the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine remains a critical tool in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. The vaccine has been authorized for use in many countries around the world and is widely available. The vaccine is recommended for all eligible individuals, which includes those aged 16 and older in most countries. However, it is important to note that the vaccine may not be appropriate for everyone, and individuals should consult with their healthcare provider to determine if the vaccine is right for them.
In conclusion, the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine remains a highly effective and safe tool in the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in 2023. As a result, instead of trying to avoid the issue of vaccine, which has come to the fore again, with side effect statements, it is in our hands to completely remove it from our lives by complying with the new normal in order to completely get rid of the covid virus.