Timelines of COVID-19 Vaccines

Abstract

World Health Organisation discussed the “Top Threats to Human Health in 2019,” and developed a strategic plan to meet the challenges. Among the communicable diseases. Emerging and Re-emerging viral pathogens causing Global Pandemic with devastating results were emphasised. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS- Cov-2) has caused a pandemic of Coronavirus disease - 19 (Covid-19) with global public health and economic crisis.1 There is an urgent need for diagnostic and therapeutic countermeasures and rapid development of a vaccine for prevention and control of this formidable disease. Since the WHO notification of first case of this disease on 31st Dec, 2019 and a complete genome sequence of the virus on Jan 5, 2020, global attempts to produce a suitable vaccine are ongoing in scores of laboratories. Most of the Coroviruses in humans including COVID-19 are derived from bats and there is a variable similarity between them. The whole genome sequence of COVID - 19 has about 50% similarity to that of MERS- CoV. The novel virus is a single strand RNA which attaches to the human cell using through angiotensin converting enzyme 11 (ACE-2) receptors like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). There is a continuing evolution of this virus globally including the ones seen in Eastern India. The geographic distribution, and severity of disease and risk of subsequent waves caused by these genomic variants is currently unknown.