Why AstraZeneca's vaccine will be too late for the US

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:

• We break down why AstraZeneca's COVID shot will come too late for the US;
• COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death in 2020;
• The first trial begins to test a vaccine that confronts concerning variants.

If you're new to this newsletter, sign up here. Comments or tips? Email me at lramsey@insider.com or tweet @lydiaramsey125. Now, let's get to it...

More news about the Pfizer vaccine this morning: In new data released Thursday, the company said its vaccine with BioNTech is holding up after six months. The two-dose vaccine is 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19.

Get the latest on the data here>>

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot will come too late for the US

• AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine faces a murky future in the US, where three other shots are already in use.
• Public-health experts said the two-dose vaccine should secure an emergency OK from US regulators.
• Despite that OK, the US may end up giving its AstraZeneca supply to other countries, they said.

Get the full analysis here>>

COVID-19 was the 3rd leading cause of death in the US for all of 2020

• COVID-19 caused or contributed to nearly 378,000 US deaths in 2020.
• That's roughly 11% of the nation's nearly 3.4 million deaths last year.
• Only heart disease and cancer killed more people in the US in 2020.

Find out more here>>

The US just launched the first study testing a version of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine tailored to fight a concerning variant

• The first clinical trial testing a variant-specific COVID-19 shot launched Wednesday.
• The NIH-sponsored study will test an updated version of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine.
• The shot is designed to fight the B.1.351 strain first identified in South Africa.

Check it out>>

More stories we're reading:

• Vaccine demand is dropping in some parts of the country (Axios)
• Countries like Germany, France, and Canada temporarily stopped using AstraZeneca's vaccine after reports of rare blood clots. There is no evidence to restrict the use of the shot, Europe's regulator says. (Insider)
• Google says US employees may start returning to the office in April, and encourages workers to get vaccinated (Insider)
• Former Gilead Sciences CEO John C. Martin has died (Endpoints)
• The 3 types of treatment trans youth are banned from getting in Arkansas under the new bill (Insider)

- Lydia