A potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University along with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is showing positive results in the early stages of human testing. During the first trial, which involved more than 1,000 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55, the researchers found that the vaccine produced antibodies and T-cells, which help fight off the viral infection.
“The immune system has two ways of finding and attacking pathogens – antibody and T cell responses,” Oxford Professor Andrew Pollard said in a release. “This vaccine is intended to induce both, so it can attack the virus when it’s circulating in the body, as well as attacking infected cells. We hope this means the immune system will remember the virus, so that our vaccine will protect people for an extended period.”
While volunteers reported experiencing headaches, fatigue, muscle ache, chills, a fever, and pain at the injection site, the researchers said that none of the participants developed serious side effects following the treatment.
According to the BBC, the British government has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine, and AstraZeneca said they hope to produce at least two billion doses if the vaccine is approved.
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