Would You Be Taking the Covid-19 Vaccine Once Available?

Before we even get into whether you will be taking one or not, where are we with the vaccine at this moment? Most researchers and biotech companies have now entered phase 2 clinical trial for the Covid-19 vaccine. [1] Phase 2? What was phase 1? Alright, there are 3 stages in the clinical development or human trials of a vaccine. The stages are;

Phase 1: To test the vaccine’s safety, determine its dosage and identify any potential side effects in a small number of people. [1, 2]

Phase 2: It further explores safety and investigates effectiveness on larger groups of people. [1, 2]

Phase 3: Vaccine is now given to thousands of people and tested for effectiveness and safety. [1, 2]

Vaccine development usually takes years and there are concerns of the process being rushed to get the vaccine out by 2021. However, Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health reassures us that no vaccine will be put out without it being checked thoroughly for its effectiveness and safety. [2] So you see, the Covid-19 vaccine will only be available if all goes well. Personally, I am hoping it does because vaccines in general have proven to be safe, cheap and effective in the prevention of diseases. [3] Unfortunately, there has been a huge rise in the number of anti-vaxxers around the world. This will be a topic for another day.

Remember that there are people around the world that have volunteered for these Covid-19 clinical trials to ensure that we are all protected and can eventually go back to our normal lives without any fears. Some of you might be saying well, maybe these are people who are probably sick and do not have anything to live for. This is not true. The researchers used only volunteers who are young, healthy, and have not been infected with Covid-19. [4]

To conclude, my family and I will be getting the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is available. What about you?

References

1. Gavi.org. 2020. The COVID-19 Vaccine Race. [online] Available at: <https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covid-19-vaccine-race> [Accessed 8 June 2020].

2. Yan, H., 2020. Here's Where We Stand On Getting A Coronavirus Vaccine. [online] CNN. Available at: <https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/08/health/covid-19-vaccine-latest/index.html> [Accessed 8 June 2020].

3. World Health Organization. 2020. Vaccines. [online] Available at: <https://www.who.int/topics/vaccines/en/> [Accessed 8 June 2020].

4. Mercer, D., 2020. Coronavirus: Volunteers Wanted For COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Who Could Earn Up To £625. [online] Sky News. Available at: <https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-how-to-take-part-in-covid-19-vaccine-trials-as-volunteers-offered-up-to-625-11977033> [Accessed 8 June 2020].