The U.S. has hit another record high for the number of new coronavirus cases on Tuesday (November 10) – with over 136,000 new cases reported, adding to the total of more than 10.2 Million recorded cases of infection in the U.S.
Texas has become the first state to have over 1 million reported cases of infection, and California has the second-highest number of cases in the U.S., with more than 990,000. At the same time, coronavirus-related hospitalizations are at an all-time high since the pandemic began.
Health experts have cautioned that the colder months could bring about a rise in the number of new cases, as well as expressed concerns that gatherings for the upcoming holiday season could become superspreader events.
As the pandemic continues to affect our day-to-day, just about everyone is wondering if there is an end in sight.
Health experts have previously talked about a way the virus can be stopped in its tracks – when herd immunity occurs, which means 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.
There are over 150 vaccines in development around the world. Healthline has reported updates on some of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine projects.
Pfizer / BioNTech / Fosun Pharma
Phase 3 trial began in July, with over 42,000 people participating as of late October – including children as young as 12 years old. (The company announced in October that it has received approval from the FDA to include a younger age group).
As of late October, the company was still short of their target 44,000 participants. On November 9, the company announced that its vaccine had been more than 90 percent effective in clinical trial participants.
Moderna / National Institutes of Health
In late October, the company announced all 30,000 participants for the phase 3 trial have been recruited, which includes 7,000 people over the age of 65 and more than 5,000 younger people with chronic conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19.
Moderna’s CEO previously told investors that the data from the trials could trial’s data and safety monitoring board could start in November. As of company officials’ announcement in early October, their vaccine won’t be available for wide distribution until spring 2021.
AstraZeneca / University of Oxford
AstraZeneca began phase 3 trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States in August. However, trials were halted in September when a study volunteer developed a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.
Trials in Brazil and the United Kingdom resumed a week later, and the U.S. was granted authorization to resume by the FDA in late October.
Johnson & Johnson
The company is developing a one-dose adenovirus vaccine. They announced starting a phase 3 trial with 60,000 participants in late September. However, trials were paused in mid-October due to an “unexplained illness” with one of the participants. They have since received permission to restart the trial.
There are several other vaccines in the final stage of testing, including Wuhan Institute of Biological Products and Sinopharm in China, and Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia. Novavax plans to start phase 3 trials in the U.S. by the end of November. Sanofi’s two vaccine candidates are expected to begin phase 3 trials later this year.
While a safe and effective vaccine will be a game-changer in this pandemic, not everyone will have the same response the same to immunization. History suggests vaccines could be less successful in the elderly, who are at most risk from the virus, due to their aged immune system, which does typically not respond as well to immunization – something the researchers will also have to monitor closely and fina a way to overcome, if needed.
