Things could be looking up in the country’s fight against coronavirus.
As of Wednesday (December 16), there are over 16 million reported coronavirus cases in the U.S., which has resulted in the death of over 300,000 people.
Health experts have previously talked about herd immunity – a way the virus can be stopped in its tracks. If there are enough people (around 60% or 70% of the population) who develop an immune response to the virus, either through previous infection or vaccination. If the virus can’t find susceptible hosts to infect, it won’t be able to spread easily.
The ultimate goal of a vaccine is to harmlessly expose parts of the virus to the immune system, teaching it to recognize the virus as an invader and learn how to fight it. The race to develop an effective and safe vaccine continues, with some candidates reporting promising results.
The Food and Drug has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech – the first doses of which have begun to be administered on Monday (December 14). Vaccination efforts are expected to get a boost from a vaccine developed by Moderna, which is still in the process of being reviewed by federal regulators – a detailed review by Food and Drug Administration scientists found their vaccine “highly effective” and is on track for approval by the FDA.
Americans can also now take a coronavirus test as needed – and get immediate results.
On Tuesday (December 15), the FDA also granted EUA for an over-the-counter coronavirus test kit that can be taken at home.
Previous home tests require samples to be sent to a lab and requires a doctor’s prescription. After months of failures, long lines and shortages of tests, the test could be a gamechanger in the country’s fight against the virus — especially in the months before most Americans are vaccinated.
Developed by Australian company Ellume, the test uses a nasal swab to collect a sample which is then placed in a plastic device similar to a home pregnancy test. The results, which are expected to come out within minutes, will be revealed via an app that test users have to download. The app will also automatically send data by Zip code to the cloud — that way, regional health officials can learn about positive results while keeping the data confidential, the company said.
The tests are expected to cost around $30 each and be available in January – Ellume is looking partnering with major retailers to make the test available for consumers and plan to put policies in place to prevent hoarding.
“Today’s authorization is a major milestone in diagnostic testing for COVID-19,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn said in a statement. “As we continue to authorize additional tests for home use, we are helping expand Americans’ access to testing, reducing the burden on laboratories and test supplies.”
Last month, the FDA also approved another single-use home test kit by California biotechnology company Lucira Health, which requires a prescription from a doctor. More new tests are expected to be approved in the coming weeks to make access to coronavirus testing easier for Americans.
