A successful vaccine against the coronavirus can be administered to humans as early as March in 2021, and difficulties of vaccine research and development are beyond people’s imagination, Chinese experts said, urging the United States to let its defense down and stop irresponsible actions. After the US President Donald Trump’s pledge, claiming a coronavirus vaccine could be available by the end of the year, Zhang Wenhong, a Shanghai-based infectious disease expert, made relatively prudent comments that a vaccine is available as soon as possible in March 2021. Zhang added that currently, there are 108 vaccine candidates registered under the World Health Organization, which are in the process of development, and unregistered vaccine candidates exceed 200. China’s top respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan is also a part of this team. Five vaccine candidates, including four inactivated candidates, have been approved by China’s State Food and Drug Administration for clinical trials, which so far reported no major adverse reactions.

Source: Manila Times May 17, 2020 16:21 UTC