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There’s hopeful news coming out of the Israeli Institute for Biological Research. Scientists there say they could announce a major breakthrough for a vaccine for the new coronavirus COVID-19 in just a matter of days.
According to the Israeli daily newspaper Ha’aretz, scientists at the centre, supervised by the Prime Minister’s office, have recently had a significant breakthrough in understanding the biological mechanism and qualities of the virus. This includes better diagnostic methods and the production of antibodies for those who already have the virus.
However, there’s still a long process of pre-clinical and clinical trials still to follow and it could take months before the vaccination is considered effective and safe to use.
The institute, located in the town of Nes Tziona was established in 1952 as part of the Israel Defense Forces’ Science Corps. It is world-renowned for research and development. Their 50-strong team of researchers and scientists are chosen for their extensive experience and knowledge.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the institute to devote their resources to developing a vaccine for COVID-19 on February 1.
Who else is working on a vaccine for Coronavirus?
A team of Australian researchers say they’ve found a cure for the novel coronavirus and hope to have patients enrolled in a nationwide trial by the end of the month. According to Professor David Paterson at the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research director. two drugs used to treat other conditions wipe out the virus in test tubes.
So far, a woman infected with coronavirus was tested four times at Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection. Researchers were able to record how her immune system responded to COVID-19, and how it was able to overcome the virus.
Elsewhere in Canada, a team of scientists has successfully isolated and grown copies of the virus. Researchers at Imperial College in London say they have been successful in testing a potential vaccine on mice and may be able to start human trials by June. The team say they are working with scientists in Paris to uncover the vaccine’s effectiveness in monkeys.
The US company, Moderna Therapeutics, is recruiting volunteers to test a vaccine between 18 and 55 and launch the trial by the end of April.
How soon would the vaccine be available?
Doctors and scientists globally have been working on developing a vaccine. However several experts around the world concur that the process of developing, approving, manufacturing and distributing a working vaccine for the COVID-19 coronavirus could take around a year, if not longer.