The world's first coronavirus vaccine that can neutralize coronavirus has been discovered by Italian Scientists, or so they claimed. The researchers from pharmaceutical firm Takis Biotech believe that antibodies created by mice can help prevent humans from getting the coronavirus. Experts say that human trials could begin in the autumn.
The race for the coronavirus vaccine
The alleged discovery of Italian scientists came right after UK's Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, warned the public that a vaccine for the virus may never be found to stop its spread, which has now claimed more than 258,000 and has infected more than 3.5 million people lives around the world.
The chief executive of Takis Biotech, Luigi Aurisicchio said that as far as they know, they were the first in the world so far to have demonstrated neutralization of the coronavirus by a vaccine. The company is one of the numerous companies around the world who are working tirelessly to find a vaccine that can save lives.
Mr. Aurisicchio told Italian news agency Ansa that finding a vaccine for COVID-19 is not a competition. He called for experts to join forces and combine their skills to win against the virus.
The Italian researchers injected mice with cloned genetic code, and they said they saw encouraging results. Five vaccine candidates led to a very strong antibody response after 14 days and two showed a particularly strong response, the scientists claim.
So far, the tests have been carried out at the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Disease, but the company needs the support of the Italian government and international partners to carry out clinical trials.
On May 6, Mr. Hancock warned that people would have to find a way to live with the virus because there is no guarantee a vaccine will be found. He told Sky News: "If a vaccine can't be found then we have to learn to find a way to live with this virus so that means getting the numbers down and holding them down through, for instance, mass-scale testing and then tracing the virus through a combination of technology and human contact tracers."
Oxford University is currently conducting tests on humans and has previously stated that a successful vaccine could be produced this year.
What will happen if a vaccine is never developed?
The worst-case possibility is that no vaccine will ever be developed. If this happens, societies may need to learn to live with it. Cities would slowly open and some lockdowns will be lifted. People will gain their freedom back but on a short leash. If experts' recommendations are followed, testing and physical tracing will become part of our lives.
There could be treatments developed in the future, but outbreaks of the disease could happen yearly and the death toll worldwide would continue to rise. Most experts remain confident that a vaccine for the virus will eventually be discovered and developed, in part because unlike previous diseases, the coronavirus does not mutate at a rapid pace.
Many experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, suggest that a vaccine could be developed in 12 to 18 months. If a vaccine is developed, and if it does happen within the timeframe suggested, it would be a feat that has never been achieved before.
