Coronavirus Watch: Pfizer vaccine still effective 6 months later, study shows

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Thursday, April 1

Six months in, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is still effective.

A company study of 46,000 participants showed that volunteers receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine remained more than 90% protected against symptomatic COVID-19 and were even better protected against severe disease six months after receiving the second dose. The vaccine is effective against virus variant B.1.351, first identified in South Africa, the company said.

The study did not reveal any serious safety concerns among 12,000 volunteers receiving the vaccine.

It's Thursday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news to know today, as of 1:30 p.m. EDT:

•	Opening Day: Ballparks are opening to fans around the U.S., but the MLB has already had a hiccup after the Washington Nationals-New York Mets game was postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Nationals. Meanwhile, all MLB stadiums will have fans in the stands. Here's a look at how many fans each team is expecting to have, headlined by the Texas Rangers opening at 100% capacity on Thursday.
•	In Florida, pop-up vaccine clinics raised some ethical concerns, with places like yacht clubs, golf courses, and gated communities getting exclusive access to shots.
•	If you're vaccinated, but your kid isn't, what can you do? Here are activities health experts say are safe.

Vaccine tracker: Here's where to check in on how vaccine distribution is going in your state and across the country.

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– Jay Cannon, USA TODAY Network, Wires Editor; @JayTCannon on Twitter