The first trial dose will be given to 45 patient volunteers at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The American official who revealed the most serious development did not want to make his name public, as the whole process will be conducted under secrecy, so that the investigation can continue smoothly and without public pressure.
- QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) March 17, 2020
According to US media, Jennifer Haller, 43, is the first person to be vaccinated at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle on Monday. "We are all helpless. "It's a great opportunity for me to do something," Haller told the Associated Press. Haller was followed by three other participants who received the first of two doses of the vaccine. They will receive the second in a month. After being vaccinated, Haller said she "feels great." She is the mother of two teenagers. Her children "believe it's cool" that their mother is taking part in the research.
This development is the first tangible hope for fighting the epidemic COVID-19, which has already caused the death of thousands of people around the world.
The same official clarified that the first clinical trial of a vaccine does not mean the acceleration of the process of production and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine, as studies and tests will continue for at least 12 to 18 months.
According to the same source, the first clinical trial will be performed on 45 young patient volunteers, who will be given 45 different doses of the drug. The purpose is not to determine the appropriate dosage, but the possible side effects and effectiveness of the drug, as, at this stage, scientists do not know if the specific drug to be administered has an effect on the new coronavirus and to what extent and with whom way.
The research by the pharmaceutical companies continues at an intensive pace and the period in which, according to the ambitious forecasts, the production of a coronavirus vaccine is defined is in the middle of 2021.