The battle against COVID-19 continues relentlessly, and until the vaccine for COVID-19 is produced, we will not be safe for the time being. Because of this, questions linger in the minds of the people. When will the vaccine be distributed? Are we closing in acquiring them? How long will it take? Where are they now in terms of progress?
This vaccine is our only hope of turning everything back to normal. Even though the Government is doing their best to slowly but safely bring back the lives of their people by introducing a new normal scheme, fear is still present in everyone’s minds.
Will the COVID-19 Vaccines be Available Soon?
The race for the production of the COVID19 vaccine has begun. One hundred two candidates are doing their best to end humanity’s battle against the virus. Eight of the 102 candidates are already in the process of testing in various countries.
A vaccine usually takes years or even decades to develop. However, the goal is to have millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of the year. Due to the danger the virus brings, researchers pushed themselves to the limit and managed to develop a vaccine for the virus in a span of just a few months.
Experts projected that the first wave of vaccines might be available sometime mid-2021. However, leaders from different countries worldwide are hoping that the vaccine will be made available to everyone earlier than experts claim.
Progress Update
It’s been months since the first COVID19 patient was recorded. Many became infected with the virus that continues up to the present. Pharma companies have begun their research for a vaccine due to the increasing number of infected individuals day by day. Months after their initial experiments, reports regarding the progress of vaccine development surfaced.
The first human trials recorded showed the volunteers successfully producing antibodies after receiving the vaccine. The result demonstrates that the COVID19 vaccine will soon be available for mass production.
Some big pharma companies are teaming up to produce the Coronavirus vaccine. These steps taken by pharma companies can help speed up the development of the vaccine. As they combine their ideas and workforce, progress will speed up, making the vaccine available sooner than projected.
However, while we are waiting for the vaccine, the Government is continuing to test individuals who acquired the virus via COVID19 test kits. By doing this, infected individuals will be monitored and contained. Additionally, people can avoid places where high numbers of positive cases are recorded to prevent getting infected.
The Vaccine Development Process
A vaccine’s development process starts in a research laboratory with government-funded scientists studying the components and behavior of a specific virus or bacteria. After analysis and creating hypotheses, they will conduct a series of tests on animals to prove their theories.
Scientists from different pharmaceutical companies would conduct scientific meetings to present their ideas. Each one will present an idea and approach when creating a vaccine, with its efficacy proven after. Other scientists, through these presentations, will evaluate their progress.
After the scientific meeting, pharmaceutical scientists will proceed to the testing trials a vaccine must undergo before the licensure. These trials are very important in vaccine development since it helps scientists uncover the possible side effects of the product.
Once the idea turns into a product, the phase 1 trial will start. During this phase, the vaccine will be tested on healthy volunteers. This phase will conduct a placebo-controlled study to a group of people to prove both the vaccine’s effect on the human body and its safety.
When the vaccine passes the phase 1 trial, the scientists will advance to the next phase. During this phase, scientists will compare the result of both groups that underwent the placebo-controlled trial in phase 1. They will compare the results of the group who received the vaccine to the group who did not.
Phase 2 is where scientists determine the proper dose a person should receive and confirm the safety of the vaccine produced. This phase is essential in the manufacturing of the vaccine since it is the stage where they determine all of its components.
The 3rd phase is the final stage of product testing and will be conducted on thousands of participants. During this phase, the pharmaceutical company will start planning the production and distribution of the vaccine.
Once the 3 phases of trials are conducted successfully, the vaccine is ready for FDA licensing. However, vaccine monitoring will continue during the distribution to the public. This will ensure the safety of everyone receiving the vaccine.
Takeaway
With the progress reported regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, it is safe to say that we are now very close to acquiring it. The first phase of the trial is done, which means we are just a few tests away from fully developing these vaccines. Once it is approved and licensed by the FDA, the vaccines will be distributed to the public.
