JUST IN: AstraZeneca Vaccine Found to Be 79% Effective in U.S. Clinical Trial, Surpassing Expectations

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AstraZeneca’s vaccine was found 79 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 in a clinical trial in the United States, a number that defied expectations and prompted the company to announce it will apply for emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

The trial found that the vaccine, which was developed with the University of Oxford, was 100 percent effective against severe disease and hospitalization, AstraZeneca said in a statement on Monday.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the trial results are good news for the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“The one thing that one can say for sure, that this is good for the world, because it’s a cheap vaccine. It’s got good results. They will likely be able to produce enough for a lot of different countries,” Fauci said.

The AstraZeneca vaccine can also be held for six months at refrigerated conditions.