The world's biggest COVID-19 vaccine study got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the U.S. government -- one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race.
There's still no guarantee that the experimental vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., will really protect.
Several other vaccines made by China and by Britain's Oxford University earlier this month began smaller final-stage tests in Brazil and other hard-hit countries.But the U.S. requires its own tests of any vaccine that might be used in the country and has set a high bar: Every month through fall, the government-funded COVID-19 Prevention Network will roll out a new study of a leading candidate -- each one with 30,000 newly recruited volunteers.
That's a stunning number of people needed to roll up their sleeves for science. But in recent weeks, more than 150,000 Americans filled out an online registry signalling interest, said Dr. Larry Corey, a virologist with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute in Seattle, who helps oversee the study sites.
Just 65 days later in March, the NIH-made vaccine was tested in people. The first recipient is encouraging others to volunteer now. If everything goes right with the final studies, it still will take months for the first data to trickle in from the Moderna test, followed by the Oxford one.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Spain and Barcelona great Xavi tests positive for COVID-19 - TSN.caFormer Spain and Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Read more »
Wolfsburg defender Kevin Mbabu tests positive for COVID-19 - Sportsnet.caWolfsburg defender Kevin Mbabu has tested positive for the coronavirus, impacting the German side's preparations for its Europa League game at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Read more »
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford rejoins team, discloses he had COVID-19 - TSN.caChicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford revealed that he tested positive for the coronavirus, causing him to miss most of the return to play training camp with his team.
Read more »