(RxWiki News) An effective COVID-19 vaccine may be one of the key ways to end the coronavirus pandemic. That's why health officials are continuing to push forward on a possible vaccine.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that all 50 states should prepare to release a COVID-19 vaccine to high-risk groups like health care workers by late October or early November.
The CDC did not identify the possible vaccine, but it did describe two candidates, referred to as Vaccine A and Vaccine B. The agency said it would lay out the specifications for shipping, storing, mixing and administering the vaccines soon.
Multiple pharmaceutical companies and health organizations have been racing to create an effective COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the pandemic.
According to The New York Times, the details about the two possible vaccines the CDC described appeared to match vaccine candidates from Moderna and Pfizer. These two products had progressed the furthest in clinical trials, with Pfizer saying its vaccine might be ready to be reviewed by government health officials by October.
Also, at the beginning of August, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies entered an agreement with the US government to supply 100 million units of its COVID-19 vaccine.
While details about possible coronavirus vaccines still remain murky, testing continues. High-level health officials have said that they may be willing to approve vaccines for high-risk groups if tests show overwhelmingly positive early results.
Still, testing a vaccine for safety and effectiveness can take a long time, with some health experts saying that deploying a vaccine as early as a few months from now could be unsafe.
While a vaccine could prevent countless cases of COVID-19, you can take steps to prevent the spread of the virus before a vaccine is approved. Wear a mask in public, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and follow other guidance from health officials.
If you are concerned about your risk of contracting COVID-19, speak with your health care provider.
