A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the
new coronavirus will begin on today Monday 16th March 2020,
according to a government official.
new coronavirus will begin on today Monday 16th March 2020,
according to a government official.
The first
participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the
official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not
been publicly announced yet.
participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the
official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not
been publicly announced yet.
The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking
place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle,
the official said.
place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle,
the official said.
Public health
officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential
vaccine.
officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential
vaccine.
Testing will begin
with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by
NIH and Moderna Inc.
with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by
NIH and Moderna Inc.
There’s no chance participants
could get infected from the shots, because they don’t contain the virus itself.
could get infected from the shots, because they don’t contain the virus itself.
The goal is purely to check that the vaccines show no worrisome side effects,
setting the stage for larger tests.
setting the stage for larger tests.
Dozens of research
groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases
continue to grow.
groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases
continue to grow.
Importantly, they’re pursuing different types of vaccines —
shots developed from new technologies that not only are faster to produce than
traditional inoculations but might prove more potent.
shots developed from new technologies that not only are faster to produce than
traditional inoculations but might prove more potent.
Some researchers even aim for temporary vaccines, such as shots that
might guard people’s health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting
protection is developed.
might guard people’s health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting
protection is developed.
For most people,
the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and
cough.
the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and
cough.
For some, especially older adults and people with existing health
problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 156,000 people and left
more than 5,800 dead.
more than 5,800 dead.
The death toll in the United States is more than 50,
while infections neared 3,000 across 49 states and the District of Columbia.
while infections neared 3,000 across 49 states and the District of Columbia.
The vast majority
of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild
illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may
take three weeks to six weeks to recover.
of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild
illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may
take three weeks to six weeks to recover.
SOURCE: VOA
