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The race to create a vaccine for the novel coronavirus is on. Numerous labs are engaged in research that will hopefully yield a viable vaccine for the novel virus. Each of the labs is concentrating on a different method for creating the inoculation. One such lab, Moderna, is posting some promising early results with their candidate.
Dr. Tal Zaks, chief medical officer for Moderna, says that the early tests in volunteers show impressive results. Should more testing reveal that the vaccine is indeed working, Moderna expects it could be ready by January 2021. That’s a blisteringly fast turnaround for a vaccine, and would break records for time between discovery and vaccine.
Moderna worked with the National Institutes of Health to help fast-track the first phase of their clinical trials. Phase I testing typically involves smaller groups. It determines whether a vaccine is safe or not, and whether it generates an immune response or not. If one or the other condition isn’t met, the vaccine is unfit for the public.
Eight of the study participants, out of dozens, have been tested for antibodies. In all eight cases, antibodies are present for COVID-19, despite none of the participants testing positive for the disease. As such, this could indicate that the vaccine is working as intended, conferring immunity without sickening the patients.
“This is absolutely good news and news that we think many have been waiting for, for quite some time,” stated Dr. Zaks.
Many health experts agree that a vaccine will be the best insurance against COVID. They also think that widespread testing for the disease and contact tracing yields similar results.
However, this widespread COVID testing is apparently cost prohibitive. Thus, few states have implemented it. The number of tests needed daily to safely reopen things like schools and sporting events is still a distant dream for most of the US.
Due to the lengthy nature of health trials, it could be months before a vaccine is ready for the public. In the meantime, life goes on. However, widespread disagreements about what should and should not resume normal functionality currently wrack the US. Many states are slowly reopening, but it’s not yet clear if this will result in a second spike of cases.
As the US deals with its biggest public health crisis in decades, a vaccine seems to be the only hope on the horizon for a return to normal.
