Walz optimistic about vaccine soon, FDA still waiting for data

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tried to cushion the blow of sweeping new restrictions on businesses and even on what Minnesotans can do in their own homes by saying a vaccine will be available in Minnesota in a matter of weeks.

"We’ve got a light at the end of the tunnel," the governor said during a statewide televised speech on Wednesday night. "I believe with every fiber of my being that there is an incredibly strong possibility, more like a probability, that we will be vaccinating people before the end of this four-week pause in our long-term care facilities and our front-line health care providers."

Hospital leaders who joined the governor at a news conference on Thursday echoed those comments by urging Minnesotans to abide by the new restrictions so hospitals don’t get overwhelmed. They say that could help "build a bridge" to when a vaccine is available.

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"It’s not forever," Allina Health CEO Penny Wheeler said. "We know a whole lot more about this disease than we ever did before and we also have promising things on the offing with a vaccine coming forward."

It is true two pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Moderna, have come forward with vaccines they say are about 94% effective. However, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS this week there is a lot of work to be done to make sure the vaccines are safe. So far, the companies haven’t even shared their data with the FDA.

"We just don’t just look at a press release," Dr. Hahn, who is a radiation oncologist, said. "We don’t just look at a scientific paper. But we’ll look at the raw data from a clinical trial. Our scientists will do their own analysis and that’s how we will ensure the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine."

He said the FDA will also have it’s own finding reviewed by the "vaccine advisory committee" with the goal of assuring Minnesotans any vaccine they approve is safe.

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"We’ll have to see what the data show," he said. "One thing I can promise the American people is that we will not cut corners in our assessment of these vaccines."

In other words, there are promising vaccines on the horizon, but there’s no promise they will be available quickly.