A second experimental COVID-19 vaccine — this one from Moderna Inc. — yielded extraordinarily strong early results Monday, another badly needed dose of hope as the pandemic enters a terrible new phase.

Moderna said its vaccine appears to be 94.5 per cent effective, according to preliminary data from an ongoing study. A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its own vaccine looked 90 per cent effective — news that puts both firms on track to seek nod within weeks for emergency use in the US. The results are "truly striking," said Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government's top infectious-diseases expert.