Parents: Good child, what do you wish for your birthday?
I wish there was a vaccine for COVID-19.
Your parents might not be able to fulfill your birthday wish, but this piece of news might bring you closer to it.
They found a vaccine?!
Well, not exactly, but there are signs of promising results, and this is enough to render hope for everyone.
First COVID-19 Vaccine Tested on Humans
In Cambridge, the first coronavirus vaccine was tested on humans.
Not mice, but humans.
According to Morderna, a US biotech firm, the vaccine appears to be safe and was able to stimulate an immune response against the virus.
Morderna announced yesterday (18 May) that the findings are based on results from the first eight people who were tested.
These people were healthy volunteers, and they each received two doses of the vaccine, starting in March.
They were able to produce antibodies that were subsequently tested in human cells in the lab. The test showed that these antibodies were able to stop the virus from replicating.
Shows Promising Early Results
This is a good news, as it is the key requirement for an effective vaccine.
In addition, the levels of these “neutralising” antibodies matched the levels found in patients who had recovered after contracting the virus in the community.
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There will be more trials to conduct. However, if all goes well, a vaccine could be made available for everyone by year-end or the start of 2021.
That’s much faster than what we’ve often read about.
Dr Tal Zaks, Moderna’s chief medical officer, stated that he is not clear of how many available doses there would be. However, they will be doing their best to make it as many millions as possible.
At this moment, there is no proven treatment or vaccine for coronavirus. Companies from all over US, Europe, and China are running against time to produce vaccines.
If there were to be a breakthrough, this will really turn the COVID-19 situation around and stop it in its tracks.
Well, not literally. But close enough.
And there’s even better news.
Low Doses Are Enough to Work Well
Back to the mice tests, there were three levels of doses of the vaccine that were put to test. The initial results tested are base on low and medium doses.
Results demonstrated that the only adverse effect was redness and soreness in one patient’s arm where the shot was given. Kinda like the BCG we had when we were young.
On the other hand, for the highest dose, three patients were down with fever, muscles and headaches. However, the symptoms went away after 24 hours.
Given that the low doses were observed to work effectively, the high doses will not be needed. Hence, it will be excluded from further studies.
And this is goody: Dr Zaks commented that lower doses mean an increase in the ability to produce more vaccines.
All these discoveries are pointing towards the success of creating a vaccine for COVID-19. So let’s have faith and believe that a vaccine will be out before you know it.
You wish will have to wait till then.
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