China, the country where the virus originated has seen the first vaccine candidate finish its phase one trial on humans, and the results have been promising. The vaccine appears to be safe and may protect people from the deadly coronavirus.
According to a report in The New York Times, citing early-stage trial, published in online journal Lancet, those who received a single dose of the vaccine produced certain immune cells, called T cells, within two weeks while the antibodies needed for immunity peaked at 28 days after the inoculation.
During the next 28 days, no serious reactions were found, meaning the vaccine seemed to be tolerable by humans.
Also, antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 started to surge two weeks after the injection and reached its peak on day 28.
The vaccine is reportedly made with a virus, called Ad5, modified to carry genetic instructions into a human cell. The cell begins making a coronavirus protein; the immune system learns to recognise the protein and attack it, in theory preventing the coronavirus from ever gaining a foothold.
A phase-2 clinical trial has started with 508 volunteers involved.
