Moderna applies for emergency-use approval for its COVID-19 vaccine

모더나 긴급사용 신청...골드만삭스 "내년 가을 선진국 코로나19 백신 접종률 70% 전망"As the race for a COVID-19 vaccine continues around the world, the U.S. pharmaceutical Moderna said it asked U.S. and European health regulators on Monday to authorize use of its Covid-19 vaccine, after it was shown to be 94-point-1 percent effective in a full analysis of a pivotal study.The timing keeps the vaccine on track to become possibly the second to go into use in the U.S. by year's end - after one already under regulatory review from Pfizer and BioNTech with inoculation available to the general public likely in spring or summer. Bae Eun-ji has more. U.S. pharmaceutical giant Moderna on Monday local time applied for emergency-use authorization to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine.The company asked the FDA to review a data set proving that its vaccine is 94-point-1 percent effective at preventing COVID-19,... and 100-percent effective in preventing severe cases of the virus.The company's CEO said it is likely that approval will be granted between December 17th and Christmas... saying that they feel very confident."But as you say, the most exciting news to me yesterday, when I learned the data, was the severe cases, because if we can prevent severe cases, it means reduced hospitalizations and no death, and that would be, of course, I believe, a game-changer in this pandemic."Moderna is the second company to seek emergency-use authorization for its vaccine, after Pfizer applied on November 20th with a similar rate of efficacy.With COVID-19 vaccines being developed at an astonishing pace,... multinational investment bank Goldman Sachs forecasts that more than 70-percent of people in developed countries will be vaccinated by fall next year.According to CNBC News, economists predict that the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. will go to those deemed to be high-risk,... starting in mid-December.They expect half the population of the U.S. and Canada to be vaccinated by April 2021,...adding that it would lead to (quote) "significant public health benefits".Then by October next year, it is expected that children under the age of 12 will start being inoculated once there are enough vaccines.Meanwhile, it is forecasted that half the population of the U.K. will be vaccinated by March next year.Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.