COVID-19 vaccine showing promise, moves into final test stage

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A coronavirus vaccine being developed in the U.S. is showing promise and it’s now poised to head into the final testing phase.

The next step for the vaccine is the "phase-three" trial.

30,000 people will roll up their sleeves for the study set to begin late July.

Developed by Moderna, the vaccine is showing an immune response or boost, according to the preliminary report released Tuesday.

The report finds that participants’ levels of antibodies were similar to the patients who’ve naturally recovered from COVID-19.

More than half of the 45 volunteers had mild side effects, including fatigue, chills, and muscle pain.

“It’s very preliminary and we don’t have good information on how efficacious the vaccine is going to be, but while we remind people this is promising, we have to always remember that it takes time to develop a vaccine. It may be several months, it could even be a year before we have vaccines that are able to reduce the spread of this virus,” Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

After the final trial, regulators will decide whether or not to approve it.

Moderna said it will be ready to deliver up to a billion doses a year starting in 2021.

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