Buzzkill alert -- Dr. Peter Hotez is serving up a test tube full of very cautious optimism about Pfizer's huge coronavirus vaccine announcement.
The renowned vaccine expert joined "TMZ Live" Monday to explain exactly what it means for you, IF Pfizer's vaccine really can be 90% effective in preventing coronavirus infections.
First of all ... Professor Hotez -- who is the Co-Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development as well as the Dean of National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine -- points out all the promising information is from a company press release, and other scientists -- outside of Pfizer -- haven't had a chance to confirm the data.
Assuming it is accurate, he says we're now in uncharted territory for a vaccine in terms of the technology, and there are many other complicated variables in producing and distributing it to the population. For instance, it needs to be stored at -94 degrees Fahrenheit!!! No simple task for your average drugstore.
Nevertheless, Hotez is mostly positive about Pfizer's news, and also about the possibility we'll have another vaccine to tag-team this pandemic ... and get us back to our "normal" lives.