A recent Time article discussed a new vaccine that could alleviate the coronavirus (aka COVID-19) outbreak. Drugmaker Moderna shipped out the first potential coronavirus vaccine to U.S. government researchers for human testing in record time. The vaccine was developed in just 42 days after the genetic sequence of the virus was released by Chinese researchers. The vaccine is packed with mRNA that codes for the right coronavirus proteins before being injected into the body. Immune cells in the lymph nodes process the mRNA and begin producing the protein in a way that allows other immune cells to identify and mark them to be destroyed.
Moderna was one of three companies selected by Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a Norway-based nonprofit, to receive funding to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Clinical trials are expected to start in April.
