Coronavirus vaccine: The latest on vaccine development, plus President Trump begins exit from WHO
InfoSearched
Published -
- July 8, 2020
- 4:20 pm
The latest on vaccine development.
Yahoo Finance’s Anjalee Khemlani joins the On the Move panel to discuss President Trump beginning the process for the United States to exit the World Health Organization and the latest developments in vaccine trials.
What challenges do low- and middle-income countries face in terms of COVID-19 vaccine distribution?
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been a global health crisis that has impacted nearly every aspect of life across the world. The development of a vaccine has been deemed critical to ending the pandemic and returning life to some level of normalcy. In this article, we’ll discuss the latest developments on vaccine development, as well as the recent announcement by US President Donald Trump that the United States would be withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO).
One of the most promising developments in the search for a COVID-19 vaccine has been the recent announcement of positive results from both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine candidates. In late November, Pfizer announced that their vaccine candidate had a 95% efficacy rate based on their Phase 3 trial results. Moderna followed suit, announcing their own vaccine candidate had a 94.5% efficacy rate. Both companies have now applied for emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Other vaccine candidates, such as those developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, have seen setbacks in their trials. AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate, for example, faced criticism over their trial data and dosing regimen. Johnson & Johnson recently had to pause their Phase 3 trial due to an unexplained illness in one of their participants.
The positive news from Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine trials, however, is a bright spot in the search for a COVID-19 vaccine. If both candidates are approved for emergency use by the FDA, healthcare workers and vulnerable populations in the United States could begin receiving the vaccine as early as December.
However, the announcement from President Trump that the US would be withdrawing from the WHO raises questions about the potential distribution of a vaccine across the world. The US has been a significant funder of the WHO and a key player in global health initiatives. Without US involvement, the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine could be more challenging, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
President-elect Joe Biden has indicated that he intends to rejoin the WHO once he takes office in January. His transition team has also emphasized the importance of global cooperation in fighting the pandemic, which will likely include efforts to support vaccine distribution across the world.
In conclusion, the developments around COVID-19 vaccines continue to evolve rapidly. The recent positive results from Pfizer and Moderna’s trials are promising news in the fight against the pandemic. However, the announcement from President Trump about the US withdrawing from the WHO highlights the importance of global cooperation in distributing a vaccine once it becomes available. The world’s attention remains focused on finding a solution to the COVID-19 crisis, and ongoing research and collaboration will be key in ending this global health emergency.
