It’s been six months since the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic, yet it’s still continuing to wreak havoc on multiple countries. Various aspects of the economy are put on a temporary halt as national quarantines take place, creating a downturn significantly impacts people’s lives and livelihood alike.
The count on the number of infected people continues to spike up, but there are many countermeasures that help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Unfortunately, people are growing tired of the continuous lockdowns, but it’s a necessary step to mitigate the onslaught of a potential second wave.
The Race For a Vaccine that will End COVID-19
Vaccines are one of the only solutions that can quickly end the pandemic, which is why healthcare sectors are on the race to its discovery. To the rest of the world, it doesn’t feel like it’s moving fast enough.
Part of the good news is that there are currently more than 170 potential vaccines that can treat COVID-19, and while most are still under observation, many scientists are hoping it be launched to the public by the end of 2020.
Keep in mind that vaccines typically take between 10 to 15 years before it sees the light of day aside from its development, it undergoes four phases before it can reach final approval. Seeing the time-sensitive outbreak, the FDA implemented a task force called Operation Warp Speed to fast-track the process.
With an abundance of funding from worldwide governments, Operan Warp Speed can support efforts and even get a head start on the manufacturing process amidst the ongoing clinical trials.
Potential Vaccines in the UK, US, and China
Out of the 170 potential vaccines being developed, the Oxford University/AstraZeneca from UK and Moderna from the US are showing promising results in their mission to create the COVID-19 vaccine. Forefronts from the UK, for instance, are currently testing its vaccine on 100,000 volunteers in three different countries, which is shockingly impressive progress, wherein the release date is expected to land by fall 2020.
Moderna, on the other hand, is moving forward as their human testing is about to begin in late July, though it was supposed to be at an earlier date. They are forecasting that the vaccine will be effective and ready for distribution by early 2021, thought it can’t come any sooner for everyone else waiting in the sidelines.
Sinopharm from Wuhan Biological Products Research Institute in China, for instance, falls second behind the race as it has tested 1,129 people between the ages of 18 to 59 under their first and second clinical trial. However, the doses are found to be effective if given 28 days apart, wherein the antibody-positive response rate falls at a whopping 100 percent.
The Bottom Line: The Race Towards Discovering the Vaccine that Will End COVID-19
The whole world is put on a pause and everyone is at the edge of their seats waiting for more updates. While it seems painstakingly slow, progress is being made at a record pace, where updates on the development on COVID-19’s vaccine continue to move forward.
We offer the latest updates in the medical industry, so stay tuned for more updates from us at Dose of Healthcare to keep your wellbeing in check!
