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Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania are working to create a vaccine that would protect not only against Covid-19, but all coronaviruses, saying they hope it will be “ready to go” when the next pandemic strikes.
The effort to create a “pan-coronavirus” jab is being led by American immunologist Drew Weissman, whose research paved the way for current vaccines against Covid-19 mRNA.
“You must assume that there will be more [pandemics], “ Weissman told AFP news agency on Friday, saying there was no justification for waiting for the next crisis before starting work on the next vaccine.
“Our idea was that we could wait for the next coronavirus epidemic or pandemic and then spend a year and a half making a vaccine. Or we could make one now and have it either ready to use or use it now ”, he said.
On Thursday, Weissman shared the prize for the 2022 $ 3 million breakthrough in life sciences with co-researcher Katalin Karikó.
The scientists shared the prize for their work in modifying messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) molecules to help the human body fight viruses by instructing cells to make certain proteins and evoke antibodies.
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The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, currently used to fight Covid-1, are based on this research.
Covid-19 is just one of the epidemics that have hit the world in recent years, with the original viral infections of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
Weissman’s team has already started work on the project, and he said his new goal was to train the immune system to detect and respond to parts of the virus called “conserved regions,” because unlike the peak , these do not mutate quickly.
Weissman said he was shocked that there was controversy over the effectiveness and safety of mRNA vaccines.
“The anti-science, anti-government conservatives completely surprised us. I just didn’t expect this group to speak out against vaccines ”, he said.
Earlier this year, as the Delta variant took hold, the immunologist warned that the coronavirus variants would continue to spread “More and more frightening. “
According to Weissman, between 75 and 85% of the world’s population should be vaccinated “To bring the pandemic under control”.
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