The Vaccine Quest
Human trials have started in Singapore and the Duke-NUS team is one step closer to producing a viable COVID-19 vaccine. However other researchers in other parts of the world are ahead in the race. As the world waits with bated breath for a possible end to the pandemic, is a viable COVID-19 vaccine the answer? But creating a viable vaccine is just the first step; producing enough for everyone is a different mountain to climb. As Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and other first-generation vaccines become available, what happens to the ones that are a step behind? Meanwhile, vaccine hesitancy and an ever-growing anti-vaccine movement could threaten to derail our path towards herd immunity through vaccination. Could this lead to prolonging the coronavirus pandemic?
The Vaccine Quest - S1: Episode 2
Human trials have started in Singapore and the Duke-NUS team is one step closer to producing a viable COVID-19 vaccine. However other researchers in other parts of the world are ahead in the race. As the world waits with bated breath for a possible end to the pandemic, is a viable COVID-19 vaccine the answer? But creating a viable vaccine is just the first step; producing enough for everyone is a different mountain to climb. As Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and other first-generation vaccines become available, what happens to the ones that are a step behind? Meanwhile, vaccine hesitancy and an ever-growing anti-vaccine movement could threaten to derail our path towards herd immunity through vaccination. Could this lead to prolonging the coronavirus pandemic?
The Vaccine Quest
Last year, the search for a vaccine for COVID-19 got underway worldwide, including here in Singapore at the Duke-NUS Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme.
The process is part detective work, part onerous research, part trial-and-error, with many moments of trepidation and some moments of triumph too. And the work isn’t over, even as some vaccines get approval and are being rolled out.
This programme tells the story of how vaccines are developed and addresses some of the facts and fictions, the issues and the collaborative efforts. Following closely the Singapore team, it will also incorporate the stories of some of the doctors and researchers working to save the lives of millions.