Biden Says He Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine Following Moderna, Pfizer’s Trial Success

Democratic candidate Joe Biden speaks at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., on Nov. 9, 2020. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said he would get a COVID-19 vaccine if it was deemed safe by professionals.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to get the vaccine but I also want to set an example. I wouldn’t hesitate to get the vaccine if in fact Dr. Fauci and at least two organizations, whether its Moderna or Pfizer, who have been extremely responsible, conclude that it is safe and it will be done,” Biden said during a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware, on Monday.

“We’re on a clear path with the international community and national leaders in the scientific community have focused on these two vaccines. They appear to be ready for primetime, ready to be used, and if that continues on, I would take the vaccine,” Biden said. He was responding to a question about whether he would get a vaccine.

Biden’s comments come as both Moderna and Pfizer recently announced that their test trials for the COVID-19 vaccine were successful and have more than a 90 percent efficacy rate. COVID-19 is the disease the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus causes.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., on Nov. 16, 2020. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Moderna said in a statement Monday that the phase three trial, which consisted of 95 patients with confirmed cases of the CCP virus, had an efficacy rate of 94.5 percent.

CEO Stéphane Bancel called it a “pivotal moment” for the company, as they had been trying to develop a vaccine for the CCP virus since early January.

“All along, we have known that each day matters. This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease,” Bancel said.

Moderna said it now intends to apply for an Emergency Use Authorization with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its product in the upcoming weeks.

A nurse prepares a blinded study experimental vaccine for the CCP virus, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna, in Binghamton, N.Y., on July 27, 2020. Hans Pennink/AP Photo

Similarly, Pfizer (working together with BioNTech SE) announced in a statement on Nov. 9 that their “vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis.”

Pfizer’s trial, which analyzed 94 confirmed infected patients, had more than a 90 percent efficacy rate, similar to Moderna’s results.

Ugur Sahin, BioNTech’s co-founder and CEO, congratulated the news, saying, “the first interim analysis of our global Phase 3 study provides evidence that a vaccine may effectively prevent COVID-19. This is a victory for innovation, science and a global collaborative effort.”

Pfizer will also be submitting their product for Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA somewhere in the third week of November, after going through the required safety milestones, according to the press release.