Most doctors see Moderna as a clear frontrunner in the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, according to an InCrowd survey.
Moderna was the company most recalled by the infectious disease experts polled by InCrowd, with 63% mentioning it when asked what companies they were aware of that were developing vaccines. The AstraZeneca and Oxford vaccine was next, with 42% recall, followed by Pfizer and BioNTech with 37% and Johnson & Johnson with 32%.
Close to half of physicians (45%) expected Moderna to be the first vaccine approved. The survey also found 29% expect Moderna’s vaccine to see manufacturing ramp up the fastest and 41% expect it will be available the soonest to the U.S. public.
When it came to questions about safety and efficacy most physicians were still unsure. Moderna performed slightly better than other companies in questions about how well the vaccine will prevent people from getting COVID-19, have the strongest efficacy and provide herd immunity.
About 20% believed Moderna’s vaccine will allow society to return to normal, compared to 12% for AstraZeneca and 5% for Pfizer and BioNTech.
The majority of doctors also believed a vaccine would be publicly available within the next 12 months. The survey was conducted from late June to early July. About a quarter (26%) said it would be ready in four to six months, 23% within seven to nine months and 32% in 10 to 12 months. Significantly fewer physicians believed it would take longer than 12 months.
After the vaccine is available, many physicians expect it will take a while before society can fully return to normal. They also expect some precautions to remain even after a vaccine is widely available. About 28% believe masking will be prevalent and 20% expect telehealth to stick around after a vaccine.
