The first clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine have begun in the United States. Specialists at the Kaiser Permanente Research Center in Seattle administered experimental doses to four volunteers, according to the Associated Press. The vaccine contains a safe genetic code taken from the virus, and it cannot infect a person with Covid-19. Experts say it will take several months to determine how effective this and other vaccines in development will be. “The first person to receive the vaccine was 43-year-old Jennifer Haller of Seattle. “This is an amazing opportunity to do something important,” she told the Associated Press.
Scientists around the world are following this study closely. Clinical trials funded by the National Institute of Health are conducted directly in humans, bypassing the animal testing phase. This is usually done to ensure that the vaccine activates the immune system. The vaccine manufacturer, Moderna Therapeutics, has stated that the drug was produced using a well-tested and proven process.
We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what will happen next. Episodes End of story: Podcast Advertising. John Tregoning, an infectious disease expert at Imperial College London, confirmed that existing technologies were used in this vaccine. “It has been designed to very high standards, using technologies known to be safe for use in humans. All volunteers are closely monitored. Yes, it’s all done very quickly, but this is a competition with the virus, not with fellow scientists, all this work is done for the sake of humanity,” says Tregoning.
Typically, vaccines, such as those for measles, are made from weakened or dead viruses. But the vaccine, called mRNA-1273, is not made from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. The COVID-19 vaccine, created by scientists under laboratory conditions, contains a portion of the genetic code copied from the virus. Researchers hope to use it to train the human immune system to fight the virus. Volunteers received various doses of the experimental vaccine. Each will receive two vaccinations in their arm, 28 days apart. But even if the trials are successful, it could be another year and a half before the vaccine is widely available.
