GREEN BAY, Wis (NBC 26) -- World Health Organization leaders have called the COVID-19 vaccine prototype, something that could fundamentally change the direction of this crisis. On Monday local healthcare leaders sounded optimistic about the current findings.
"I smiled, it's good news. It has to be tempered with reality, but good news is good news," says Dr. Ashok Rai the President and CEO of Prevea Health.
Dr. Rai says the most encouraging news regarding the vaccine, is that early studies indicate it can be more than 90 percent effective in protecting people from contracting the virus. In contrast, more common vaccines like that for the flu, are typically only effective about 40 to 60 percent of the time.
"When you start talking 90 plus efficiency you're starting to talk like measles, chickenpox, or smallpox, where essentially if everyone got vaccinated and we do the right thing you can literally eradicate it from the planet."
Phizer, the company producing the vaccine, claims to be prepared to vaccinate 25 million people by the end of 2020. Local health care leaders are already anticipating who will likely get the vaccine first if it comes to fruition.
"Vaccinating healthcare workers, first responders, and vulnerable populations," says Laura Alar the Director of Pharmacy at Bellin Health.
Alar says if the vaccine is approved frontline workers will likely be some of the first to get vaccinated. But she does have concerns that by the time the general public is offered the vaccine, some will be skeptical.
"I'm sure that we will have individuals of the population who will be a little bit apprehensive about obtaining a vaccination.... It's important to get vaccinated and it helps to build herd immunity," said Alar.
"There's a lot of questions to be answered, but I think they have those answers are coming to us very soon. So today, would be a good dim light at the end of the tunnel that will hopefully grow brighter and brighter," said Dr. Rai.
