With Covid-19 vaccines currently in the final phase of the study, you have probably been wondering how it will be decided if a vaccine is safe and effective.
Based on the status of the Phase 3 trials currently underway, it is unlikely that the results of these trials will be available before November. But it is likely that not just one but several of the competing Covid-19 vaccines will be shown to be safe and effective by the end of 2020.
I am a scientist and infectious diseases specialist at the University of Virginia, where I care for patients with Covid-19 and conduct research on the pandemic. I am also a member of the World Health Organization Expert Group on Covid-19 Vaccine Prioritization.
What is the status of trials?
Phase 3 studies are underway for the Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines and the Oxford/AstraZeneca viral vector vaccine.
Each of these vaccines uses the…
