What are the problems that are accompanying the realization of one or more effective vaccines to neutralize the threat of COVID-19? Let's start by saying that the very process that leads to the conception, testing, and then production and finally administration of a vaccine in humans is long and complex.
Will there be time to complete all the necessary steps and give humanity this drug before the end of the year or at least in the early months of next year? Who knows, it may be according to many. We shall see, and as of now I must confess that I am optimistic in that regard.
But in detail what stages must a vaccine go through to be made available?
The first concerns as mentioned the theoretical conception of the vaccine. Scholars think about which strategy to adopt to neutralize the virus: which protein, which viral structure to attack to render our enemy harmless in simple words. The world's most advanced laboratories are putting their best brains to the test to identify candidate weak points to bring about an effective antibody reaction in vaccinated people.
To see if the theoretical track of their work is the right one, the so-called preclinical phase takes place in which the immune response and/or adverse mechanisms are tested on complex nonhuman living organisms.
Then the phase of clinical experimentation in humans can begin. The amount of active substance that can be administered, the lack of major toxic and/or side effects, the immunogenic capacity, i.e., to elicit an antibody response, and finally the actual large-scale protective capacity of the vaccine are studied. That is, what percentage of individuals are protected in the event of exposure to the virus itself.
This is evidently a lengthy process, which requires its own time to be carried out properly and not allow any doubts to be entertained about the harmlessness and efficacy of the final vaccine product to be targeted to the public.
Now how long will this COVID-19 vaccine take? Will they be able, as foretold, to compress the vaccine production and distribution time and administer it before Christmas? We shall see, I hope so. In the months to come, we will follow this suspenseful health affair and provide directions for practicing it in public and private licensed centers.