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COVID-19 Truth

How long will it take to introduce a vaccine against COVID-19? Why so many protective measures and guidelines we have to follow?

COVID-19 Truth & Questions

Do we know COVID-19 truth? How long will it take to introduce a vaccine against COVID-19? Why so many protective measures and guidelines we have to follow? The outlined measures are to slow the novel virus killer until new information regarding the virus is available? Public health entities publish guidance on how to act to be safe. Globally, governments focus on the safety of their citizens. Some countries have more to do to protect their citizens and reluctantly practice social distancing, while others declared a state of emergency even lockdown to protect their citizens.

Introducing a New Drug / COVID-19 Truth

When a synthesized compound is discovered, it has to go under a stringent investigation before being approved. Thus, a new drug may take many years before humans start using it.
The initial phase of a new drug or vaccine starts on animal studies, usually on rats or mice.

Trials and Phases of a New Drug / COVID-19 Truth

The initial stage measures the toxicity of the newly synthesized compound. The investigation includes acute toxicity (short term intake of the substance), chronic toxicity (long term intake of the substance), and lethal dose (the dose that causes death). In this initial or fist phase, researchers determine the toxicity, aka the safety of the substance.

Phase 2, 3, 4

In the second phase, scientists determine the effectiveness of the drug and its adverse effects. During the third phase, more clinical evaluations take place. It involves a large number of volunteers who have the condition for which the drug has been created. The team investigates the safety, efficacy, and dosage of the drug. In Phase 4, the drug or vaccine is released to the market and involves postmarketing surveillance. The Pharmaceutical company involved in releasing the drug records toxicity and additional side effects in humans.

What Do We Know About the Novel Virus? COVID-19 Truth

There is no vaccine or medication to battle or prevent COVID-19. Hence, public health agencies introduced measures to flatten the curve of new cases and deaths. The science continues to uncover the truth about the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has already killed 50,000 and infected more than 1000 000 worldwide.
More than 30 countries are tirelessly working on a vaccine against the deadly COVID-19 but a vaccine has to go through many trials before being approved. Hence, the only approach is to adhere to social distancing and washing hands guidelines.

Research Team Led by Professor Rolf Hilgenfled

One of the recent breakthroughs in the fight against COVID-19 was reported by Deutsche Welle. A research team led by Professor Rolf Hilgenfled was able to decipher the code of the key protein (enzyme) responsible for the reproduction of the novel virus. This protein is termed as Mpro or 3CLpro and is involved in the replication and development of the virus. The team targeted this key component to combat the virus by creating a vaccine against the novel virus.

The goal of the research

The team aims to block the main enzyme responsible for the replication of the virus. Hence, they created a substance that inhibits the enzyme aka the replication of the new virus. They investigated the toxicity of the inhibitor in healthy mice via injection and inhalation. The team also used infected human cells’ tongue in cultures to investigate the effect of the new inhibitor. The team concluded that there is an active bond between the key protein of the virus and the created inhibitor. The findings were more than satisfactory. However, more investigations are needed to develop the vaccine. According to Professor Rolf Hilgenfled, the process will take several years.

Stay Home to Safe Lives

Worldwide, health organizations have described four levels of the novel virus transmission.

Sporadic cases – Are cases that do not occur regularly or frequently.
Cluster cases – Stands for aggregation of cases related to the disease. The cases are grouped in time and place.
Community cases (transmission) – Occurrence of cases in the same community.

The Globe is Closed

As you see, a drug could take several years before being introduced to the market. Hence, I doubt that we will be seeing a vaccine against COVID-19 shortly. My only hope is that governments and public health agencies will be able to confine and flatten the pandemic curve.The public health measures are founded on the level of transmission for protection and prevention from the novel virus, so take them seriously. The guidelines are strategies to protect lives and further incomes’ deterioration.

Sali

Health Blogger