Pierce County launches online COVID vaccine info as milestone reached in clinical trial
As a milestone was met Thursday in one national COVID-19 vaccine trial, local officials are gearing up for when a vaccine will be available in Pierce County.
On Thursday, Moderna, the first biotech company to launch clinical trials in the United States for a COVID-19 vaccine, announced it has completed enrollment of 30,000 people for Phase 3 of its trial.
All have received their first dose and most have now received the second, according to CNN. Half have received a placebo.
“The primary endpoint is the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19 disease. Key secondary endpoints include prevention of severe COVID-19 disease and prevention of infection by SARS-CoV-2,” the company said Thursday in an announcement.
The company could apply to the FDA for authorization of use to start in early December, barring any complications.
Moderna is one of several companies competing to be the first to offer a safe, proven COVID-19 vaccine in the pandemic.
The vaccine status update comes one day after Washington state released to the public its first version of a vaccine distribution plan, submitted to the federal government earlier this month.
The plan envisions different phases of distribution, starting first with inoculating the most vulnerable and those working on the front lines of the pandemic, eventually expanding to a wider scope of the general population as supplies increase.
On Wednesday, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department told The News Tribune in response to questions, “We have a new webpage with COVID-19 vaccination information. While there are still many unknowns, like when the first vaccine will be available, we’re sharing information as we learn.”
The online site is bit.ly/34iK1Wi.
The local health department said it is working with the state in regard to “logistics of vaccine distribution, storage and handling, staffing, outreach and partnerships, and analyzing data for priority groups.”
The health department website notes, “The adult vaccine will be available before it’s ready for children. We will learn more about the different kinds of vaccines as they make their way through the authorization process.”
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 12:27 PM.
