admin U.S. health officials say the first human trial has started to test an experimental coronavirus vaccine, to find treatments for the pandemic. In Seattle, Scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute gave the first shots on Monday to a limited group of strong and healthy people.
(NIH) The U.S. National Institutes of Health said that the trial would involve 45 healthy adult volunteers ages 18 to 55 years old that would be given the experimental vaccine for a six-week period.
Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle, One of the test subjects told the Associated Press, “This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something.” She said her two teenage children think that’s cool as she is contributing in such trial.
The vaccine was developed at NIH and the biotechnology company Moderna, which is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts by the scientists. This is one of many studies of experimental vaccines that going to take place around the globe in the coming months to try to find a way to protect people against COVID-19.
Scientists say that a vaccine will likely be not available for extensive use for another 12-18 months, as all vaccines must go through several phases of testing to prove they work and are safe for the cause.
Anthony Fauci, head of contagious diseases at the NIH, said in a statement on Monday, “Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority” despite the time investment. He added, “This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal”.
In the trial contracting coronavirus there is no risk of the patients because of the injections do not contain the actual virus say researchers. The experimental vaccine contains only part of the virus’ genetic code pertaining to a protein called the “spike” which protrudes from the surface of the new coronavirus and allows the virus to invade human cells.
The experimental vaccine will provide help to one’s body produce harmless spike proteins, which will hopefully prepares the subject’s immune system to fight coronavirus.
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