The drumbeat of good news from Big Pharma on the COVID vaccine continues this week with an additional candidate – with Moderna’s vaccine results, said to be about 95% effective, and Pfizer and Biontech’s update to about 95% as well.
This is huge and wonderful news, and well beyond COVID. It really heralds a new era in health science, and implies longer, healthier lives for humanity. The gist of it is these new vaccines, based on genetic engineering technology, not only allow custom vaccine research and vaccine development in a fraction of the time it used to take, but in an extremely targeted fashion. In other words, the methods can be used to attack all kinds of health issues, including cancer. This is really big news. Big pharma has been trying to crack this nut for a long time, but the COVID crisis and Operation Warp Speed – a corny but still appropriate name – provide the impetus and the financial encouragement to get us over the hump. Again, this is great news for public health.
Also great is Moderna’s vaccines’ stability at more balmy temps than Pfizer’s, a tropical 0°F instead of -100°F , which is the average winter temp in Antarctica required by Pfizer. The logistics of distribution are way easier. Still, the biggest bottleneck is distribution, and it will probably be summer next before we see average Americans lining up for shots.
All the while and into next year, COVID still rages, with more and more testing positive- holding back the economy and sickening and killing people. My friends, we are so close. The corner is at hand. Stay safe. Don’t let your guard down. By this time next year, things should be getting back to normal. The economy will rebound, and your wealth will grow! The key is staying health long enough to enjoy it! To misquote Peter Faulk in the first “The Inlaws” – who after all was talking about CIA benefits – the whole key to prosperity is staying alive!
All things considered, the United States stock market remains rather frothy from a valuation perspective, meaning stocks look overpriced and due for a big pullback. That won’t keep the Dow Jones from rising, however, as we have noted many times in these videos, and positioned client portfolios to take advantage of.
To all of you, stay healthy, and the best of the holiday season to you! As we prepare for Thanksgiving, let us remember especially this year of all we have to be thankful for: peace and prosperity, good health and good luck with COVID, a wonderful investment year despite everything, and remarkable vaccine news. The corner is turning and the best is truly yet to be! God bless you, every one!
