As the world battles on with controlling the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, research teams across the world have also begun looking into developing a vaccine that could stop the virus from infecting more individuals. But in the process of finding a possible vaccine, one of the most critical stages for a vaccine’s effectiveness is in human trials.
Which is why this news that has been reported from MSNBC, BBC and The New York Times might just give the world a glimmer of hope it needs during such desperate situations. It has been reported by these media outlets that the first stages of human trials for a possible coronavirus vaccine candidate is now underway, and four patients have been selected to undergo the process.
The very first patient to receive this experimental vaccine is 43-year-old mother of two, Jennifer Haller. The vaccine she received cannot cause Covid-19 but contains a harmless genetic code copied from the virus that causes the disease.
Associated Press was allowed to watch as Jennifer, an operations manager at a small tech company and a mother to two children, received the injection. Three other patients were also waiting in line to get their own injections of the vaccine. The dosages each member received will be different, and they will be closely monitored to observe the effectiveness of the vaccine itself. The research into the vaccine is led by Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson.
However, it is worth noting that despite this major first step, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health has reminded people that a viable vaccine may not be available for mass consumption for 12 to 18 months. This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Moderna Inc.
Other teams are also concurrently undergoing research and testing for their own vaccines, with one made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in the U.S., China and South Korea.
While we may still be a long ways from a truly commercialised vaccine for Covid-19, the fact that this crucial stage has begun shows plenty of promise!
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