I think a lot of people might have unrealistic expectations for a vaccine, like that it will offer permanent immunity. (I don't see that as anyone's expectation in the medical community) So even developed at warp speed (also the name of the operation to do it), it's all about what the vaccine, or vaccines, might be. We might get one that works to some extent and later get something better. Will antibodies last for a year or more so that maybe we get it yearly? (or less than a year) What will the effectiveness be? If you still get the virus, will it be less severe in some cases having had the vaccine? Will a vaccine prevent you in some cases from actually getting the virus or just make you less contagious to others, but you still get the virus? If you have the vaccine and still get the virus, will it damage some organs less than others?
And of course, it's going to take time to manufacture the vaccine. I haven't followed that too closely, but if we are not making it all in the U.S. there could always be repercussions for the U.S. buying up most of the supply of remdesivir for the next three months.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/30/us-buys-up-world-stock-of-key-covid-19-drug
"The US has bought up virtually all the stocks for the next three months of one of the two drugs proven to work against Covid-19, leaving none for the UK, Europe or most of the rest of the world.
Experts and campaigners are alarmed both by the US unilateral action on remdesivir and the wider implications, for instance in the event of a vaccine becoming available. The Trump administration has already shown that it is prepared to outbid and outmanoeuvre all other countries to secure the medical supplies it needs for the US.
"They've got access to most of the drug supply [of remdesivir], so there's nothing for Europe," said Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting research fellow at Liverpool University.
Remdesivir, the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19, is made by Gilead and has been shown to help people recover faster from the disease. The first 140,000 doses, supplied to drug trials around the world, have been used up. The Trump administration has now bought more than 500,000 doses, which is all of Gilead's production for July and 90% of August and September."
Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker from New York Times (requires free registration):
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
"Here is the status of all the vaccines that have reached trials in humans, along with a selection of promising vaccines still being tested in cells or animals." |