Pfizer Vaccine News

[GoofGoof]

What's slightly funny is that - despite impressions of my posts to the contrary - I too have thought about getting this vaccine, so I can (#1) stay healthy, (#2) return to my daily life, and (#3) perhaps return to WDW or some other fun destination.

[I'm also a little torn though, for me getting to WDW is a solid chunk of $, and so many of my neighbors are suffering. People near me need basics like food. I'm trying to find happiness in much smaller expenditures for the time being. This morning I ate an excellent apple from a local orchard, and I'm expecting a shipment of FL oranges before the end of November. Florida in a box!

For me, local donation and supporting local business feels like a better way for me to spend my disposable income. WDW is great, but the people operating my local produce stand are also amazing. When this is over, I still want to have my local produce stand. I'm so grateful for all they've done this year.]

I also suspect, even if I try to be among the first group of people to get this vaccine, limited supply and distribution will make that impossible. The whole month of April, I couldn't even find toilet paper or pasta in any local stores!

It’s a valid point. It’s hard to focus on a vacation with everything going on these days. For me personally, my trip is just about paid for. We had already bought the park tickets for last year and I banked my DVC points into 2021 so no additional cost there and we have flight credits with SW airlines. I will still need to drop some money on food and souvenirs but it’s not as big an expense as most years. I also feel like taking a vacation will help out the airline and airport workers including ancillary people like the parking shuttle workers or Uber drivers, the Disney CMs themselves and other people who need tourists to come back to have jobs.

In the current time I’m trying to do my best to support local businesses too. We do a lot of takeout from our favorite places. Back in April when this was just starting I bought a bunch of gift cards to local restaurants too. Our local chamber of commerce was running a program to essentially sell gift cards as almost a small loan to businesses, getting them cash up front to cover bills and then use them for food later. I have used some and have a bunch still waiting to use. I plan to do a lot of eating out once this thing is over . I’ve got lots of time to make up for.

 

[Goofyernmost]

“
WASHINGTON — As nations around the world race to lock up coronavirus vaccineseven before they are ready, the Trump administration on Wednesday made one of the largest investments yet, announcing a nearly $2 billion contract with Pfizer and a German biotechnology company for 100 million doses by December.

The contract is part of what the White House calls the Warp Speed project, an effort to drastically shorten the time it would take to manufacture and distribute a working vaccine. So far, the United States has put money into more than a half dozen efforts, hoping to build manufacturing ability for an eventual breakthrough.”

Redirect Notice

They might not have received the money yet but that’s part of the contract. I’m sure y’all trust The NY Times lol

So the day after the election they promised them money. Now that others have financed the research, Washington jumps on the wagon. Actually they basically placed a purchase order to be on the list to received a block of vaccine to be used by the US. Every country in the world is trying to get an agreement for that. That isn't any different then you going to the drug store and paying for your meds when you get them. It is not part of the Warp Speed even if that is what the White House calls it. It is an order for a product that has already been created. The White House has taken credit for everything including sunrise and sunset. They have been very good at alternative facts.

 

[correcaminos]

What's slightly funny is that - despite impressions of my posts to the contrary - I too have thought about getting this vaccine, so I can (#1) stay healthy, (#2) return to my daily life, and (#3) perhaps return to WDW or some other fun destination.

[I'm also a little torn though, for me getting to WDW is a solid chunk of $, and so many of my neighbors are suffering. People near me need basics like food. I'm trying to find happiness in much smaller expenditures for the time being. This morning I ate an excellent apple from a local orchard, and I'm expecting a shipment of FL oranges before the end of November. Florida in a box!

For me, local donation and supporting local business feels like a better way for me to spend my disposable income. WDW is great, but the people operating my local produce stand are also amazing. When this is over, I still want to have my local produce stand. I'm so grateful for all they've done this year.]

I also suspect, even if I try to be among the first group of people to get this vaccine, limited supply and distribution will make that impossible. The whole month of April, I couldn't even find toilet paper or pasta in any local stores!

For us there really is no extra cost. Points from DVC were banked. Funds for flying SW are points we have to use as well. APs were long paid for and waiting to be activated. All paid for long before the pandemic hit. Any money we usually put aside for the next year travel, we've used to donate to good causes or help support local businesses.

So I get the feelings, but no one will judge I think. So many of us are traveling on credits or travel funds or points saved up.

My issue was flour. I regularly bake at home and everyone else thought they should too. It was impossible to find flour for us. So silly. I have since bought and donated flour to those in need because of it no joke.

They are working on vaccine distribution. I received notification that CVS will be one of the vaccine distributors so it should be available to those near one at some point.

I remember having a toddler during the H1N1 scare. The first attempts to get the vaccine were rough. 2nd dose was easy peasy. Once they get going they'll crank out faster than we can believe. They are in fact making doses that would be destroyed if not approved as it is.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

It’s a valid point. It’s hard to focus on a vacation with everything going on these days. For me personally, my trip is just about paid for. We had already bought the park tickets for last year and I banked my DVC points into 2021 so no additional cost there and we have flight credits with SW airlines. I will still need to drop some money on food and souvenirs but it’s not as big an expense as most years. I also feel like taking a vacation will help out the airline and airport workers including ancillary people like the parking shuttle workers or Uber drivers, the Disney CMs themselves and other people who need tourists to come back to have jobs.

In the current time I’m trying to do my best to support local businesses too. We do a lot of takeout from our favorite places. Back in April when this was just starting I bought a bunch of gift cards to local restaurants too. Our local chamber of commerce was running a program to essentially sell gift cards as almost a small loan to businesses, getting them cash up front to cover bills and then use them for food later. I have used some and have a bunch still waiting to use. I plan to do a lot of eating out once this thing is over . I’ve got lots of time to make up for.

I used to always keep partially used non-expire WDW tickets on hand. It was a great way to rationalize a visit to WDW. I've also had on and off AP's over the years. My Universal AP just expired though, so now I'm completely AP free.

I figure we've always got to eat. but then, WDW eating expenses are always way more than the cost of eating at home. (Unless of course, you have to pay shipping on a big box of citrus.) I mean, when I budget WDW food costs, somehow I always come up short. I think almost the only place eating came under budget last trip was Blaze Pizza.

Another sorta funny aspect to all of this is, even if I think about going to WDW, I've now become accustomed to things like sanitizing my hands on a regular basis. Even if we don't need it any more...a day without hand sanitizer is going to feel very strange. In the before times, I always hated having to carry anything around in the parks beyond maybe water. Ugh! In the before times, we thought nothing of sharing a lemonade (within our family).

Maybe it will be easier to give up than I think, but I think some parts of the way we used to tour WDW are not coming back. I mean are people really going to go back to sharing tables with complete strangers at Biergarten? Can we ever again eat at a pre-pandemic style character buffet?

 

[GoofGoof]

I used to always keep partially used non-expire WDW tickets on hand. It was a great way to rationalize a visit to WDW. I've also had on and off AP's over the years. My Universal AP just expired though, so now I'm completely AP free.

I figure we've always got to eat. but then, WDW eating expenses are always way more than the cost of eating at home. (Unless of course, you have to pay shipping on a big box of citrus.) I mean, when I budget WDW food costs, somehow I always come up short. I think almost the only place eating came under budget last trip was Blaze Pizza.

Another sorta funny aspect to all of this is, even if I think about going to WDW, I've now become accustomed to things like sanitizing my hands on a regular basis. Even if we don't need it any more...a day without hand sanitizer is going to feel very strange. In the before times, I always hated having to carry anything around in the parks beyond maybe water. Ugh! In the before times, we thought nothing of sharing a lemonade (within our family).

Maybe it will be easier to give up than I think, but I think some parts of the way we used to tour WDW are not coming back. I mean are people really going to go back to sharing tables with complete strangers at Biergarten? Can we ever again eat at a pre-pandemic style character buffet?

Buffets will be slow to return for sure. I think maybe they alter them to a buffet but with servers so guests never touch the food or utensils. Kinda like how some weddings did it pre-pandemic although I think that was mostly to seem “higher end” then a straight up self serve buffet vs for health reasons. Cruise ships obviously have a similar issue too. I think people will be less willing to crowd each other in general. This is a good thing overall IMHO.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

My issue was flour. I regularly bake at home and everyone else thought they should too. It was impossible to find flour for us. So silly. I have since bought and donated flour to those in need because of it no joke.

Last Saturday afternoon I finally found a bottle of yellow liquid Lysol! I couldn't help but let out an audible cheer! It was my unicorn. I hadn't seen any since March! (Other cleaners, sometimes, but not Lysol.) In the moment, I took it an a good omen!

I tend to think the experts I've heard (Like the JHU interview I quoted earlier) are correct, it will take time to distribute the vaccine, especially given all the trouble we've had distributing other medical supplies and testing over the last few months.

I'm not generally a pessimist, I just feel our national response to this situation has been... flawed. The national case numbers over the last few days are just jaw dropping.

 

[correcaminos]

Buffets will be slow to return for sure. I think maybe they alter them to a buffet but with servers so guests never touch the food or utensils. Kinda like how some weddings did it pre-pandemic although I think that was mostly to seem “higher end” then a straight up self serve buffet vs for health reasons. Cruise ships obviously have a similar issue too. I think people will be less willing to crowd each other in general. This is a good thing overall IMHO.

I think the serving for you might happen. Many cruise ships were doing that during some seasons anyway. Family style may replace in other cases. I'm not a buffet person (for a few reasons one of which is a mild allergy to a commonly used ingredient) so this doesn't really affect me, so I'm not affected as much. A family style meal would be preferable to me and might get me back to some locations if they did it.

Last Saturday afternoon I finally found a bottle of yellow liquid Lysol! I couldn't help but let out an audible cheer! It was my unicorn. I hadn't seen any since March! (Other cleaners, sometimes, but not Lysol.) In the moment, I took it an a good omen!

I tend to think the experts I've heard (Like the JHU interview I quoted earlier) are correct, it will take time to distribute the vaccine, especially given all the trouble we've had distributing other medical supplies and testing over the last few months.

I'm not generally a pessimist, I just feel our national response to this situation has been... flawed. The national case numbers over the last few days are just jaw dropping.

I think the timeline we have seen with spring for most is doable. They are preparing now even though it's not approved. They will get it done because it's a global issue. Much like H1N1 was. It took me months to get that one. But once it was started it went faster. I am sure we'll see similar. April is still a way off, but reasonable.

 

[GoofGoof]

I think the serving for you might happen. Many cruise ships were doing that during some seasons anyway. Family style may replace in other cases. I'm not a buffet person (for a few reasons one of which is a mild allergy to a commonly used ingredient) so this doesn't really affect me, so I'm not affected as much. A family style meal would be preferable to me and might get me back to some locations if they did it.



I think the timeline we have seen with spring for most is doable. They are preparing now even though it's not approved. They will get it done because it's a global issue. Much like H1N1 was. It took me months to get that one. But once it was started it went faster. I am sure we'll see similar. April is still a way off, but reasonable.

The distribution is challenging for sure. However, like H1N1 I am hoping it’s also multiple vaccine options. Right now if it’s only Pfizer that would be a longer roll out. I think based on Pfizer alone the expected roll out was 20M people in Dec and then 30M a month after that. Realistically we aren’t getting more than 2/3 of people to get the vaccine so 220M people total. That means at the pace laid out possibly into July before everyone who wants one gets it. The hope is that with Pfizer and Moderna together that shaves a month or 2 off the timeline and then if the JnJ and AstraZeneca vaccines come out sometime in Jan or Feb we could be realistically looking at enough vaccine for every American who wants one by April/May. The challenge is organizing all the shots, but from the manufacturing side if multiple vaccines all hit we should have enough to get everyone one by the Spring.

 

[LastoneOn]

Um, I personally have not seen any travel- or event-related testing that is taxpayer funded. I believe the testing American Airlines is involved with is something like $160 per person.

My husband had to travel to Hawaii before they were allowing tourists. They had to go through a rigorous approvals process for exemption because it was deemed essential work. He had to get tested in Hawaii, which was paid for by his employer. (Also, just because I think it's interesting, despite testing negative he still had to quarantine for 14 days. He literally was either at his place of work or inside his hotel room alone for those two weeks. They had to get an exemption to stop for gas and have food delivered. Security was notified when he opened his hotel room door.) My boss and several coworkers have also traveled and have gotten covid tests at their own expense.

Yes, there are tax-funded covid testing sites, but those are generally run through the health department. In my county, you have to get into the health department's system (which means you have to have probable cause for being tested) before you can get a test "for free," but I'm sure other states are doing different things.

Um, well, that's your experience.

Um.

 

[LastoneOn]

If it was a date specific plan then the question become why he made the announcement precisely when he did. If you know that an automatic sale of your share is going to happen on X day and then make an announcement the pumps up the stock price just before that date it become market manipulation, which is a crime beyond insider trading. It wouldn't be the first time that someone thought they had figured out the law so they could ignore it only to get themselves caught violating a different law.

yeah it was price specific

 

[thomas998]

It was not date specific, it was price specific. It was an auto-sale when the stock reach a specific pre-determine price.

yeah it was price specific

What's the source of the detail on price? I've seen official releases from Pfizer that are vague on the specifics and haven't seen any SEC filing that spells out the details.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

“
WASHINGTON — As nations around the world race to lock up coronavirus vaccineseven before they are ready, the Trump administration on Wednesday made one of the largest investments yet, announcing a nearly $2 billion contract with Pfizer and a German biotechnology company for 100 million doses by December.

The contract is part of what the White House calls the Warp Speed project, an effort to drastically shorten the time it would take to manufacture and distribute a working vaccine. So far, the United States has put money into more than a half dozen efforts, hoping to build manufacturing ability for an eventual breakthrough.”

Redirect Notice

They might not have received the money yet but that’s part of the contract. I’m sure y’all trust The NY Times lol

CNN will never put it the same way you did

 

[GoofGoof]

What's the source of the detail on price? I've seen official releases from Pfizer that are vague on the specifics and haven't seen any SEC filing that spells out the details.

The sale happened as part of a pre-determined stock sale plan established August 19, 2020 which allowed him to sell a pre-determined number of shares as long as the price was at a minimum level. It’s a pretty standard financial planning tool used by executives to sell stock and avoid questions on insider trading, most likely done in Q4 for 2020 tax planning purposes. So unless he could have predicted the exact date back in August the shares would pop it seems highly unlikely this was some grand fraud. It’s not required to publicly disclose a 10b5-1 stock sale plan but a lot of companies do it for transparency usually with an 8-k filing with the SEC. I didn’t look at Pfizer’s filings, but that is how my company handles it. Even if not filed publicly with the SEC the company would have the plan documents and it’s almost always administered through a 3rd party so they would also have a record of the timing that the plan was established.

The timing of the announcement of the results of the trial was not set by the company, Pfizer’s CEO had no control over that. Pfizer was blinded to the results of the trial until enough participants got infected and then the independent review board looked at the results and competed their review. They didn’t unblind the results and tell the company the good news until Sunday afternoon and Pfizer released the information publicly before market open on Monday. There’s just no there there. Just bad optics on the timing.

In addition, the Pfizer CEO made about $18M in 2019 in salary and bonuses. Pfizer’s stock closed Friday 11/6 at $36.40 a share and the sale happened on Monday at $41.94 a share. On the 132,508 shares sold that‘s a gain of $732K. A quarter million seems like a boat load to me and you, but he’s not risking jail time and the loss of a job where he makes almost 25X that annually for that “small” a sum. Its not like anyone thought that the sale could go unnoticed. I’m sure he will be questioned by the SEC and I’m equally sure the company has all the proper documentation but if something is not legit it will come out and charges will be pressed.

This is a pretty good write-up:

Pfizer's CEO cashed out 60% of his stock on the same day the company unveiled the results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial

 

[GoofGoof]

On the Pfizer vaccine front, the company is already working on plans to have a powder version of the vaccine that will not have to be stored at such low temperatures, making the distribution much easier. They say the powder form could be available some time in 2021.

Pfizer is already working on a powder form of COVID-19 vaccine

Pfizer's chief scientific officer Mikael Dolsten told Business Insider Monday a second-generation, powder version of the vaccine is already being planned and could be available next year.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[thomas998]

The sale happened as part of a pre-determined stock sale plan established August 19, 2020 which allowed him to sell a pre-determined number of shares as long as the price was at a minimum level. It’s a pretty standard financial planning tool used by executives to sell stock and avoid questions on insider trading, most likely done in Q4 for 2020 tax planning purposes. So unless he could have predicted the exact date back in August the shares would pop it seems highly unlikely this was some grand fraud. It’s not required to publicly disclose a 10b5-1 stock sale plan but a lot of companies do it for transparency usually with an 8-k filing with the SEC. I didn’t look at Pfizer’s filings, but that is how my company handles it. Even if not filed publicly with the SEC the company would have the plan documents and it’s almost always administered through a 3rd party so they would also have a record of the timing that the plan was established.

The timing of the announcement of the results of the trial was not set by the company, Pfizer’s CEO had no control over that. Pfizer was blinded to the results of the trial until enough participants got infected and then the independent review board looked at the results and competed their review. They didn’t unblind the results and tell the company the good news until Sunday afternoon and Pfizer released the information publicly before market open on Monday. There’s just no there there. Just bad optics on the timing.

In addition, the Pfizer CEO made about $18M in 2019 in salary and bonuses. Pfizer’s stock closed Friday 11/6 at $36.40 a share and the sale happened on Monday at $41.94 a share. On the 132,508 shares sold that‘s a gain of $732K. A quarter million seems like a boat load to me and you, but he’s not risking jail time and the loss of a job where he makes almost 25X that annually for that “small” a sum. Its not like anyone thought that the sale could go unnoticed. I’m sure he will be questioned by the SEC and I’m equally sure the company has all the proper documentation but if something is not legit it will come out and charges will be pressed.

This is a pretty good write-up:

Pfizer's CEO cashed out 60% of his stock on the same day the company unveiled the results of its COVID-19 vaccine trial

I understand officers will do this sort of thing... but rarely do you ever see any dumping that large of a percentage of their total shares. What he did, didn't look good. Whether he followed all the rules or not will likely be determined if the SEC does an investigation. If that happens, then maybe he'll be exonerated and maybe he won't. I never underestimate the stupidity of corporate executives. To me if something looks crooked it usually is.

 

[SoFloMagic]

So....is there any way to get this thread back to the original question?

Has this news made anyone start daydreaming about a post-pandemic trip to WDW?

Yes. Although since I'm local, my dreams may look a bit different: checking my phone at work and getting a fastpass for Space Mountain and Big Thunder and going over after I get off. Or heading over to watch fireworks after dinner with my girlfriend.

 

[mattpeto]

I wonder if Disney will require a certification of immunity eventually.

I would think a certificate requirement is inevitable for cruises.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I wonder if Disney will require a certification of immunity eventually.

I would think a certificate requirement is inevitable for cruises.

I think some kind of vaccination passport for all kinds of public activity is probably coming. It would be the kind of thing a government administration not living in fantasyland would be working with industry and the WHO to help standardize.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

So the day after the election they promised them money. Now that others have financed the research, Washington jumps on the wagon. Actually they basically placed a purchase order to be on the list to received a block of vaccine to be used by the US. Every country in the world is trying to get an agreement for that. That isn't any different then you going to the drug store and paying for your meds when you get them. It is not part of the Warp Speed even if that is what the White House calls it. It is an order for a product that has already been created. The White House has taken credit for everything including sunrise and sunset. They have been very good at alternative facts.

Do you think they would have secured financing if they didn’t have orders lined up?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Do you think they would have secured financing if they didn’t have orders lined up?

They had financing, just not from us. Every country with a bank account was willing to pitch in when it first started to be recognized as a huge danger. Every nation except one, because it was just a cold in that one.