What Good Is A Vaccine That’s Only 50% Effective?

PLUS: CDC Study Links COVID-19 Cases To Dining In Restaurants

Shots Jesse Zhang for NPR Will A Vaccine Stop The Pandemic? We all want a "safe and effective" vaccine that will protect us from COVID-19, and scientists are racing to develop one. But NIH’s Dr. Anthony Fauci says we might be more likely to get one that is only “50% or 60% effective.” And the FDA says it would approve such a vaccine for market. So, what does that mean? As on scientist tells NPR’s Allison Aubrey, it means, "If you vaccinate 100 people, 50 people will not get disease" if they run into the virus. And what about the other 50 people? As Allison explains, such a vaccine would still reduce the duration and severity of illness that many of them experienced. That’s how it works with the flu shot, too -- and every bit of partial protection that keeps you out of the hospital is a win. Read on to learn how even a partially effective vaccine could help halt the pandemic. BONUS: How Can You Tell If A COVID-19 Vaccine Is Working? Newsletter continues after sponsor message Spencer Platt/Getty Images Getting Takeout Might Be Safer A bit of sleuthing from the CDC this week adds to evidence that some people who catch the coronavirus may be catching it while eating out. Researchers checked in with 314 people across 10 states who sought testing in July after developing what they thought might be COVID-19 symptoms. The 154 in that group who tested positive for the virus didn’t much differ from those who tested negative, in terms of whether they routinely wore masks, or had been to a gym, a bar or a hair salon in the previous two weeks. However, those who tested positive were about twice as likely to have dined out at a restaurant at least once during that period. Read on to learn more about why getting takeout from restaurants might be safer.   Kim Ryu for NPR Money Woes: Nearly Half Of U.S. Households Hit Hard By Pandemic In the four largest U.S. cities -- Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York -- at least half of all households have experienced serious financial problems since the start of the pandemic, such as a lost job, lost wages or a depletion of all savings. Many families can’t pay their medical bills or their rent or credit cards. In some cases, delayed medical care has had serious health consequences. And many of these problems have been concentrated in Black and Latino households. Those are the key initial findings from a new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (We’ll be delving into other aspects over the next few weeks). Read on to see what’s happening in each city, and how that compares nationally. . BONUS: Short on Cash? These Strategies Will Help You And Your Family Weather The Storm We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   More of this week's health stories from NPR A Dating Guide For The Pandemic A Drug That Bulked Up Mice In Space Might Someday Help Astronauts Make Long Voyages Eating Disorders Thrive In Anxious Times, And Not Just Among White Women   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy