How Vaccine Trials Work
Vaccines go through many steps before they are given to the public.
Vaccines go through many steps before they are given to the public.
Phase 1: Is it Safe?
First, vaccines are studied for safety. A vaccine is given to a small number of people (between 20 and 100) to see if it causes serious side effects.
First, vaccines are studied for safety. A vaccine is given to a small number of people (between 20 and 100) to see if it causes serious side effects.
Phase 2: Does it Prevent Disease?
In the second step, or phase, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people. During this step, scientists and doctors learn more about what dose people need and if there are any minor side effects. they also use this step to make sure the vaccine really works at keeping people from getting sick. Once a vaccine passes this step, it goes into Phase 3.
In the second step, or phase, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people. During this step, scientists and doctors learn more about what dose people need and if there are any minor side effects. they also use this step to make sure the vaccine really works at keeping people from getting sick. Once a vaccine passes this step, it goes into Phase 3.
Phase 3: How Well Does it Work?
In this step, scientists give the vaccine to thousands of people. They also use something called a control group. These are people who are part of the study but who don't get the vaccine. Scientists look at the number of people in the control group who got sick with the disease, and compare it to the number of people who had the vaccine and got sick with the disease. They also look at how sick people get--do people in the control group get sicker from the disease than people who got the vaccine. This step tells them how well the vaccine can protect us. During this step, scientists also keep studying side effects and confirm there are no serious problems from getting the vaccine.
After this, a vaccine can be approved and given to people. But, scientists keep on studying it just to be sure they understand how well the vaccine is working. At this point, though, it is safe for the public to get the vaccine.
In this step, scientists give the vaccine to thousands of people. They also use something called a control group. These are people who are part of the study but who don't get the vaccine. Scientists look at the number of people in the control group who got sick with the disease, and compare it to the number of people who had the vaccine and got sick with the disease. They also look at how sick people get--do people in the control group get sicker from the disease than people who got the vaccine. This step tells them how well the vaccine can protect us. During this step, scientists also keep studying side effects and confirm there are no serious problems from getting the vaccine.
After this, a vaccine can be approved and given to people. But, scientists keep on studying it just to be sure they understand how well the vaccine is working. At this point, though, it is safe for the public to get the vaccine.
How Did the COVID Vaccine Get Made So Quickly?
COVID-19 is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. This virus is a coronavirus. There are hundreds of different coronaviruses. Most of them do not make humans very sick, but cause mild illness like a cold. There are two other rare coronaviruses that cause serious illness. These illnesses are called SARS and MERS. When MERS first appeared, in 2012, scientists began working on a vaccine. This work laid the groundwork for creating a COVID-19 vaccine, since these viruses are related.
Normally, a small group of scientists might be working on a vaccine. But, because COVID-19 affected the entire world so quickly, scientists from all over the world worked together and shared their findings with each other so that a vaccine could be developed more quickly. Vaccines are also very expensive to create. But governments all over the world gave money to scientists so they would have all the resources they needed. In fact, governments took the risk of paying to have the vaccine produced while it was still being studied. That way, if it was proven to work, people would not have to wait any longer to begin getting the vaccine.
COVID-19 is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. This virus is a coronavirus. There are hundreds of different coronaviruses. Most of them do not make humans very sick, but cause mild illness like a cold. There are two other rare coronaviruses that cause serious illness. These illnesses are called SARS and MERS. When MERS first appeared, in 2012, scientists began working on a vaccine. This work laid the groundwork for creating a COVID-19 vaccine, since these viruses are related.
Normally, a small group of scientists might be working on a vaccine. But, because COVID-19 affected the entire world so quickly, scientists from all over the world worked together and shared their findings with each other so that a vaccine could be developed more quickly. Vaccines are also very expensive to create. But governments all over the world gave money to scientists so they would have all the resources they needed. In fact, governments took the risk of paying to have the vaccine produced while it was still being studied. That way, if it was proven to work, people would not have to wait any longer to begin getting the vaccine.
