Coronavirus vaccine update: Pfizer, BioNTech start late stage vaccine trial



At present, 25 coronavirus vaccine candidates are in human clinical trials. This raises the hope that a vaccines could contribute to ending the pandemic, which has so far infected over 16.4 million people worldwide and claimed over 650,000 lives. More than 150 possible vaccines are being developed and tested around the world, including in India, Britain, China, the US, Russia and Israel, to try to stop the pandemic. Among the coronavirus vaccine candidates are in human clinical trial stage at present are those of Moderna, AstraZeneca Plc, BioNTech, Novavax, Sinovac, CanSino Biologics and Inovio Pharmaceuticals. Although it is still unclear if any of these vaccines will ultimately prove effective against the virus, Britain and other developed countries are already investing in the vaccines to ensure there is enough manufacturing capacity to deliver any successful candidate.



Why is a coronavirus vaccine important?

The virus spreads easily and the majority of the world's population is still vulnerable to it. A vaccine would provide some protection by training people's immune systems to fight the virus so that they do not become sick.


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