Is There a Vaccine for Coronavirus?

The new type of Coronavirus is causing extreme distress in China and many other parts of the world. The headlines on coronavirus started from Wuhan city in China and made it to international media within days. Till the date, it is reported in many parts of Asia, Europe and even in America.

The fast-spreading virus has concerned many people and they are interested to know about the coronavirus vaccine. But is there a vaccine for coronavirus? Keep on reading to know the answer.

What is coronavirus?

Coronavirus is not the name of one virus, in fact, it is a set of viruses that can cause flu-like symptoms in its patients. This new virus is named 2019-nCoV and some of the common symptoms include runny nose, fever, sore throat, congestion, headache, etc. The virus spreads via direct contact with a virus-infected patient. It starts mildly just like the common cold but if ignored, it leads to the most severe stage and eventually death.

Corona means crown in the Latin language. It has gotten its name because of the crowned or spikey structures on its body. This new virus from China is the seventh known coronavirus that has caused extreme misery in humans. Some of the other well-known viruses from the corona family include MERS and SARS.

Is there any vaccine available for coronavirus?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for the coronaviral infected persons. Also, there is no vaccine to prevent its risk of attack. The National Institutes of Health says that the research on this virus is in “very preliminary stages” so there is no vaccine of coronavirus available at this moment. However, many countries have started running studies on finding an effective treatment for this virus. One such company is Regeneron which has previously manufactured a treatment line for the Ebola virus.

Also read- Chinese Travelers Will Be Screened at The U.S. Airports for Deadly New Virus

Vaccine development for coronavirus

A project to develop coronavirus has already started in the US. It is funded and led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Currently, the researchers are working to understand the genetic code of this new virus. The human trials of coronavirus vaccine are expected in three months.

To date, there are seven identified strains of coronavirus that cause disease in humans. Four among these cause signs like the common cold and but only three are able to cause chronic infections. These three viruses include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the newly added coronavirus from Wuhan.

Previous two viruses SARS and MERS were under control by taking the public health measures. However, there was no vaccine or anti-viral medicines designed for these viruses.

How to prevent coronavirus?

The simplest way to prevent catching coronavirus is by taking care of personal hygiene such as hand wash. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing hands before and after eating, using the toilet and sneezing. It also advises avoiding touching surfaces at public places and avoids meeting people who exhibit any signs of flu. However, people should use clean water to wash hands and use a clean towel for drying hands.

Also read- West Nile Virus Spread By Mosquitoes Causes Proteins Aggregation Resulting in Encephalitis

Use of disinfectants against coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that the use of disinfectants works against the spread of coronavirus. Doctors are advising to clean all surfaces that come in contact with multiple people with disinfectants. But make sure that it is an EPA approved disinfectant. Do not use anything that is not approved by EPA, however, a homemade disinfectant using bleach in water may also work.