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SEATTLE (AP) U.S. researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday, leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges.
With careful jabs in the arms of four healthy volunteers, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle began an anxiously awaited first-stage study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in record time after the new virus exploded out of China and fanned out across the globe.
Were team coronavirus now, Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson said on the eve of the experiment. Everyone wants to do what they can in this emergency.
The Associated Press observed as the studys first participant, an operations manager at a small tech company, received the injection in an exam room.
We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something, Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle said before getting vaccinated. Her two teenagers think it's cool that she's taking part in the study.
After the injection, she left the exam room with a big smile: I'm feeling great."
Three others were next in line for a test that will ultimately give 45 volunteers two doses, a month apart.
Neal Browning, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is a Microsoft network engineer who says his young daughters are proud he volunteered.
Every parent wants their children to look up to them, he said. But hes told them not to brag to their friends. Its other people, too. Its not just Dad out there.
Mondays milestone marked just the beginning of a series of studies in people needed to prove whether the shots are safe and could work. Even if the research goes well, a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Still, finding a vaccine is an urgent public health priority, Fauci said in a statement Monday. The new study is an important first step toward achieving that goal.
This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Moderna Inc. Theres no chance participants could get infected because the shots do not contain the coronavirus itself.
Its not the only potential vaccine in the pipeline. Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another candidate, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in the U.S., China and South Korea.
The Seattle experiment got underway days after the World Health Organization declared the new virus outbreak a pandemic because of its rapid global spread, which has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500.
COVID-19 has upended the worlds social and economic fabric since China first identified the virus in January, with broad regions shuttering schools and businesses, restricting travel, canceling entertainment and sporting events, and encouraging people to stay away from each other.
Starting what scientists call a first-in-humans study is a momentous occasion for scientists, but Jackson described her teams mood as subdued. Theyve been working around-the-clock readying the research in a part of the U.S. struck early and hard by the virus.
Still, going from not even knowing that this virus was out there ... to have any vaccine in testing in about two months is unprecedented, Jackson told the AP.
Some of the studys carefully chosen healthy volunteers, ages 18 to 55, will get higher dosages than others to test how strong the inoculations should be. Scientists will check for any side effects and draw blood samples to test if the vaccine is revving up the immune system, looking for encouraging clues like the NIH earlier found in vaccinated mice.
We dont know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. Thats why were doing a trial, Jackson stressed. Its not at the stage where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population.
Most of the vaccine research under way globally targets a protein aptly named spike that studs the surface of the new coronavirus and lets it invade human cells. Block that protein and people cannot get infected.
Researchers at the NIH copied the section of the virus genetic code that contains the instructions for cells to create the spike protein. Moderna encased that messenger RNA into a vaccine.
The idea: The body will become a mini-factory, producing some harmless spike protein. When the immune system spots the foreign protein, it will make antibodies to attack and be primed to react quickly if the person later encounters the real virus.
Thats a much faster way of producing a vaccine than the traditional approach of growing virus in the lab and preparing shots from either killed or weakened versions of it.
But because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people, it takes time to test them in large enough numbers to spot an uncommon side effect, cautioned Dr. Nelson Michael of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, which is developing a different vaccine candidate.
The science can go very quickly but, first, do no harm, right? he told reporters last week.
The Seattle research institute is part of a government network that tests all kinds of vaccines and was chosen for the coronavirus vaccine study before COVID-19 began spreading widely in Washington state.
Kaiser Permanente screened dozens of people, looking for those who have no chronic health problems and are not currently sick. Researchers are not checking whether would-be volunteers already had a mild case of COVID-19 before deciding if they are eligible.
If some did, scientists will be able to tell by the number of antibodies in their pre-vaccination blood test and account for that, Jackson said. Participants will be paid $100 for each clinic visit in the study.
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WASHINGTON (AP) A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the new coronavirus will begin Monday, according to a government official.
The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, the official said.
Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.
Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by NIH and Moderna Inc. Theres no chance participants could get infected from the shots, because they dont contain the virus itself. The goal is purely to check that the vaccines show no worrisome side effects, setting the stage for larger tests.
Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to grow. Importantly, theyre pursuing different types of vaccines shots developed from new technologies that not only are faster to produce than traditional inoculations but might prove more potent. Some researchers even aim for temporary vaccines, such as shots that might guard peoples health a month or two at a time while longer-lasting protection is developed.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 156,000 people and left more than 5,800 dead. The death toll in the United States is more than 50, while infections neared 3,000 across 49 states and the District of Columbia.
The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three weeks to six weeks to recover.
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Last updated 03/15/2020 2:00PM
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Austin-Travis County is reporting residents, people sheltering, and people who are hospitalized here. This data will be updated daily.
The Texas Department of State Health Services is counting the number of positive cases based their claimed residency. To view the case count for Texas, visit Texas DSHS.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that is spreading from person to person in parts of the United States. The risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members. Other people at higher risk for infection are those who live in or have recently been in an area with an ongoing spread of COVID-19.
The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Austin Public Health is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in coordination with the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local and regional public health and healthcare agencies. APH has developed a five-phase plan to coordinate COVID-19 response activities. We are currently in Phase 3:
APH has received positive cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Austin-Travis County. Currently there are no cases believed to be community spread.
APH has also activated our Department Operations Center to allow for enhanced response coordination, provided symptom monitoring for residents returning to Austin/Travis County from China, and provided prevention messaging to health care professionals, businesses, schools, and the general public. Additionally, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center (ATCEOC) has been partially activated.Under the partial activation, the ATCEOC has established a planning team and Joint Information System (JIS) that meets daily to discuss any changes and impacts of COVID-19.
An Expert Advisory Panel has been formed consisting of more than a dozen physicians from around the community. They include experts in infectious diseases, pediatrics, emergency medicine and internal medicine, as well as physicians from higher education and public schools. The panel is working on recommendations and guidance regarding mitigation and prevention strategies for mass gatherings.
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Guidanceby topicHealthcareProviders COVID-19 Hotline (800) 722-5725The COVID-19 hotline is a service operated by the healthcare professionals at the KY Poison Control Center who can provide advice and answer questions. Please bepatient as we are handling a high volume of calls and want to give everyone the time they deserve. For general information, please review the website prior to calling the hotline. Guidance is being added as it becomes available.Please note: COVID-19 is a reportable disease in Kentucky
The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is responding actively to the COVID-19 situation. Our State Health Operations Center is operating at Level 1, its highest activation level. This respiratory disease was first detected in a Kentucky resident on March 6, 2020.
For the latest information and prevention updates, visit theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention 2019 novel coronavirus site
Healthcare providers, laboratories, and local public health professionals, visit the COVID-19 Healthcare Providers and Laboratory Services sitefor the most current guidance.
Gov. Andy Beshear's Communications Office(news releases, other advisories)
Gov. Andy Beshear's YouTube Channel- all posted news conference videos. You can view livestream events here.
KDPH YouTube Channel- all KDPH-produced video
If you have developed a fever or respiratory symptoms and believe you have had exposure to a known case or traveled to an area with community spread, isolate yourself from others in your home and contact your healthcare provider orlocal health departmentto describe your symptoms and any recent travel before you go to the healthcare facility.
Uncertainty leads to anxiety. Follow these tips to maintain your mental health & reduce anxiety. Please seek professional help if needed. For more information, visit the CDC guidance for managing anxiety and stress.
Community Guidance
Social distancing is key to keeping Kentuckian's safe. It is essential that Kentuckian's participate in the following social distancing activities:
This guidance will continue to change as circumstances warrant.
In a briefing on Monday, research leaders across tech, academia and the government joined the White House to announce an open data set full of scientific literature on the novel coronavirus. The COVID-19 Open Research Dataset, known as CORD-19, will also add relevant new research moving forward, compiling it into one centralized hub. The new data set is machine readable, making it easily parsed for machine learning purposes a key advantage according to researchers involved in the ambitious project.
In a press conference, U.S. CTO Michael Kratsios called the new data set the most extensive collection of machine readable coronavirus literature to date. Kratsios characterized the project as a call to action for the AI community, which can employ machine learning techniques to surface unique insights in the body of data. To come up with guidance for researchers combing through the data, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine collaborated with the World Health Organization to come up with high priority questions about the coronavirus related to genetics, incubation, treatment, symptoms and prevention.
The partnership, announced today by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, brings together the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Microsoft Research, the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the National Institutes of Healths National Library of Medicine, Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Kaggle AI platform, owned by Google.
The database brings together nearly 30,000 scientific articles about the virus known as SARS-CoV-2. as well as related viruses in the broader coronavirus group. Around half of those articles make the full text available. Critically, the database will include pre-publication research from resources like medRxiv and bioRxiv, open access archives for pre-print health sciences and biology research.
Sharing vital information across scientific and medical communities is key to accelerating our ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Head of Science Cori Bargmann said of the project.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative hopes that the global machine learning community will be able to help the science community connect the dots on some of the enduring mysteries about the novel coronavirus as scientists pursue knowledge around prevention, treatment and a vaccine.
For updates to the CORD-19 data set, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will track new research on a dedicated page on Meta, the research search engine the organization acquired in 2017.
The CORD-19 data set announcement is certain to roll out more smoothly than the White Houses last attempt at a coronavirus-related partnership with the tech industry. The White House came under criticism last week for President Trumps announcement that Google would build a dedicated website for COVID-19 screening. In fact, the site was in development by Verily, Alphabets life science research group, and intended to serve California residents, beginning with San Mateo and Santa Clara County. (Alphabet is the parent company of Google.)
The site, now live, offers risk screening through an online questionnaire to direct high-risk individuals toward local mobile testing sites. At this time, the project has no plans for a nationwide rollout.
Google later clarified that the company is undertaking its own efforts to bring crucial COVID-19 information to users across its products, but that may have become conflated with Verilys much more limited screening site rollout. On Twitter, Googles comms team noted that Google is indeed working with the government on a website, but not one intended to screen potential COVID-19 patients or refer them to local testing sites.
In a partial clarification over the weekend, Vice President Pence, one of the Trump administrations designated point people on the pandemic, indicated that the White House is working with Google but also working with many other tech companies. Its not clear if that means a central site will indeed launch soon out of a White House collaboration with Silicon Valley, but Pence hinted that might be the case. If that centralized site will handle screening and testing location referral is not clear.
Our best estimate is that some point early in the week we will have a website that goes up, Pence said.
Pandemic /pandemik/ (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world.
As humans have spread across the world, so have infectious diseases. Even in this modern era, outbreaks are nearly constant, though not every outbreak reaches pandemic level as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has.
Todays visualization outlines some of historys most deadly pandemics, from the Antonine Plague to the current COVID-19 event.
Disease and illnesses have plagued humanity since the earliest days, our mortal flaw. However, it was not until the marked shift to agrarian communities that the scale and spread of these diseases increased dramatically.
Widespread trade created new opportunities for human and animal interactions that sped up such epidemics. Malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, influenza, smallpox, and others first appeared during these early years.
The more civilized humans became with larger cities, more exotic trade routes, and increased contact with different populations of people, animals, and ecosystems the more likely pandemics would occur.
Here are some of the major pandemics that have occurred over time:
Note: Many of the death toll numbers listed above are best estimates based on available research. Some, such as the Plague of Justinian, are subject to debate based on new evidence.
Despite the persistence of disease and pandemics throughout history, theres one consistent trend over time a gradual reduction in the death rate. Healthcare improvements and understanding the factors that incubate pandemics have been powerful tools in mitigating their impact.
In many ancient societies, people believed that spirits and gods inflicted disease and destruction upon those that deserved their wrath. This unscientific perception often led to disastrous responses that resulted in the deaths of thousands, if not millions.
In the case of Justinians plague, the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea traced the origins of the plague (the Yersinia pestis bacteria) to China and northeast India, via land and sea trade routes to Egypt where it entered the Byzantine Empire through Mediterranean ports.
Despite his apparent knowledge of the role geography and trade played in this spread, Procopius laid blame for the outbreak on the Emperor Justinian, declaring him to be either a devil, or invoking Gods punishment for his evil ways. Some historians found that this event could have dashed Emperor Justinians efforts to reunite the Western and Eastern remnants of the Roman Empire, and marked the beginning of the Dark Ages.
Luckily, humanitys understanding of the causes of disease has improved, and this is resulting in a drastic improvement in the response to modern pandemics, albeit slow and incomplete.
The practice of quarantine began during the 14th century, in an effort to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics. Cautious port authorities required ships arriving in Venice from infected ports to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing the origin of the word quarantine from the Italian quaranta giorni, or 40 days.
One of the first instances of relying on geography and statistical analysis was in mid-19th century London, during a cholera outbreak. In 1854, Dr. John Snow came to the conclusion that cholera was spreading via tainted water and decided to display neighborhood mortality data directly on a map. This method revealed a cluster of cases around a specific pump from which people were drawing their water from.
While the interactions created through trade and urban life play a pivotal role, it is also the virulent nature of particular diseases that indicate the trajectory of a pandemic.
Scientists use a basic measure to track the infectiousness of a disease called the reproduction number also known as R0 or R naught. This number tells us how many susceptible people, on average, each sick person will in turn infect.
Measles tops the list, being the most contagious with a R0 range of 12-18. This means a single person can infect, on average, 12 to 18 people in an unvaccinated population.
While measles may be the most virulent, vaccination efforts and herd immunity can curb its spread. The more people are immune to a disease, the less likely it is to proliferate, making vaccinations critical to prevent the resurgence of known and treatable diseases.
Its hard to calculate and forecast the true impact of COVID-19, as the outbreak is still ongoing and researchers are still learning about this new form of coronavirus.
We arrive at where we began, with rising global connections and interactions as a driving force behind pandemics. From small hunting and gathering tribes to the metropolis, humanitys reliance on one another has also sparked opportunities for disease to spread.
Urbanization in the developing world is bringing more and more rural residents into denser neighborhoods, while population increases are putting greater pressure on the environment. At the same time, passenger air traffic nearly doubled in the past decade. These macro trends are having a profound impact on the spread of infectious disease.
As organizations and governments around the world ask for citizens to practice social distancing to help reduce the rate of infection, the digital world is allowing people to maintain connections and commerce like never before.
Editors Note: The COVID-19 pandemic is in its early stages and it is obviously impossible to predict its future impact. This post and infographic are meant to provide historical context, and we will continue to update it as time goes on to maintain its accuracy.
Update (March 15, 2020): Weve adjusted the death toll for COVID-19, and will continue to update on a regular basis.
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Social distancing matters. Here is how to do it and how it can help curb the COVID-19 pandemic. USA TODAY
With the outbreakof the new coronavirus spreading and news of how Americans are responding changing every day, it can be hard to keep track of the latest information.
According to a Johns Hopkins University tracker, there have been at least3,813 known cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, causing at least 69 known deaths, in the United States as of Monday morning.
Correctly washing your hands and maintaining social distance by avoiding large gatherings andclose contact with people who are sick are two of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, health officials say.
Here are more tips to help protect you and your loved ones, according to the World Health Organizationand U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Latest coronavirus updates: Govs close bars as strict virus control measures sweep nation; stocks crash, schools close
Wet your hands, scrub everywhere (under those fingernails, too)with soap for at least 20 seconds, then rinse and dry well with a clean towel.
How to wash your hands: You're probably doing wrong and don't even know it, experts say
If you don't have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer works, but the CDC and WHO both recommended the former.
When people ask how to protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19, one of the first suggestions from doctors is washing your hands. Here are the do's and don'ts. USA TODAY
Stay at least 3 feet away from someone who is sick. The virus can spread through respiratory droplets, which are easy to breathe in if you are close to someone who has theCOVID-19 virus and is coughing.
Social distancing: Its not about you, its about us
If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, put distance between yourself and others. The CDC is recommending that large gatherings of 50 or more people be postponed for canceled for the next eight weeks.
It's easy to touch a surface that may be contaminated with the virus and then unknowingly touch your face. The virus can transfer from your hands to your nose and mouth and then enter your body and make you sick.
How to stop touching your face: It's harder than it sounds even for health officials
Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose as you cough and sneeze and then throw it out. Wash your hands immediately after. You can also cough or sneeze into your elbow. This helps prevent respiratory droplets from spreading to those in close contact with you.
While the CDC says people who are healthy do not need to wear a face mask, people who are sick and around others should. A face mask can help stop respiratory droplets from spreading. If you are sick and a face mask makes it hard to breathe, the CDC says that's when a healthy person around you should wear a mask instead.
Think you have coronavirus?: Call first! Here's what to expect at the doctor's office
If your illness is mild, restrict when and where you leave your home. If you need to see your doctor, call ahead. If you have other people living with you, try to stay in one room. Don't share common household items, either.
Stuck inside?: Here are 100 things to do during this pandemic
If you do have to leave your house for any reason, wear a face mask. Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated areas, and any nonessential travel.
Monitor your symptoms and stay home until you're instructed by a medical professional that you can leave.
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Microsoft has launched a new interactive Bing map to provide information on the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The map shows the amount of cases on a per country basis, broken down by the number of currently active cases, recovered cases, and fatal cases. In the US, meanwhile, you can view information state-by-state. Selecting individual countries or states will provide links to relevant news stories and videos. Unfortunately, the stories being promoted arent always the most timely or useful to understand the current state of the evolving pandemic.
Microsoft says the tool is pulling data from a collection of sources including the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and Wikipedia. The tool itself doesnt say how frequently its numbers are being updated, but at the time of publication we found the data to have been updated in the last hour.
Although the case numbers the tool is pulling are consistent with those published by the WHO, Microsofts COVID-19 tracker appears to be having trouble surfacing relevant news stories. When we tried to check news stories that were relevant to the outbreak in the UK, for example, one of the reports it surfaced was about a series of home improvement stores closing in France and Spain. Even more strangely, the lead video was an old news segment from January 24th with the title No confirmed cases of coronavirus yet in the United Kingdom, despite the tracker listing 1,391 cases in the country.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the most recent article on the Dutch map (when viewed from The Netherlands) is two weeks old, despite the fact that the countrys government took the major decision to shut down public places including restaurants and schools just yesterday.
Microsoft isnt the only tech giant which is looking to provide information resources amidst the pandemic. Google has said it will launch a website late Monday with information about the outbreak, including how to prevent its spread and links to local resources. It is also providing information on the novel coronavirus on its homepage, and via YouTube and Maps. The company is also launching a limited coronavirus screening website, which is currently only available to people in the Bay Area of California, in contrast to the nationwide service that the US government suggested it was building on Friday.
The move seems to reflect a clear shift in approach after the state health department set up drive-up test centers in Denver last week. Those pop-up testing sites attracted long times of people waiting in their cars, in some cases for hours, with many not getting tested at all.
I think it does signal the fact that they are taking a more targeted approach to testing, said Glen Mays, an expert in emergency preparedness at the Colorado School of Public Health.
Mays said, with limited testing capabilities still available to the state, having a limited number of pre-selected patients seems like a reasonable response.
Mays said ideally there would be many testing sites, widely dispersed. But thats been hampered by delays in securing enough test kits, especially at the federal level.
I think clearly there's a need to, to figure out a way to ramp up testing considerably in Colorado, he said.
But with just a few sites there's a high likelihood of congestion bottlenecks and absolutely that can, can create harms in and of itself. The potential risk, he said is of creating situations for people to be, essentially, contaminating each other.
The testing also plays a key role in surveillance, giving a window into where in the state coronavirus cases have popped up.
For surveillance purposes, once you have sort of a hotspot, what you do is treat (the patients) symptomatically and assume they are infected with COVID-19. You dont need to test everybody, said May Chu, a clinical professor in epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health.
The states National Guard will be deployed in Telluride to assist with the effort.
Barron said as the days go on, officials will likely shift away from emphasizing testing, because the virus is widespread, to mitigation.
In other words, unless people are in high-risk groups, including immune-compromised or those in the health care field, they likely will not get tested because there is no treatment for coronavirus anyway.
The gates are open, everyone is out running, Barron said. Its how do we keep it from going further.
News Release
Monday, March 16, 2020
Study enrolling Seattle-based healthy adult volunteers.
A Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating an investigational vaccine designed to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has begun at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding the trial. KPWHRI is part of NIAIDs Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium. The open-label trial will enroll 45 healthy adult volunteers ages 18 to 55 years over approximately 6 weeks. The first participant received the investigational vaccine today.
The study is evaluating different doses of the experimental vaccine for safety and its ability to induce an immune response in participants. This is the first of multiple steps in the clinical trial process for evaluating the potential benefit of the vaccine.
The vaccine is called mRNA-1273 and was developed by NIAID scientists and their collaborators at the biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) supported the manufacturing of the vaccine candidate for the Phase 1 clinical trial.
Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority, said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal.
Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can cause a mild to severe respiratory illness and include symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. COVID-19 cases were first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. As of March 15, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 153,517 cases of COVID-19 and 5,735 deaths worldwide. More than 2,800 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 58 deaths have been reported in the United States as of March 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Currently, no approved vaccines exist to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2.
The investigational vaccine was developed using a genetic platform called mRNA (messenger RNA). The investigational vaccine directs the bodys cells to express a virus protein that it is hoped will elicit a robust immune response. The mRNA-1273 vaccine has shown promise in animal models, and this is the first trial to examine it in humans.
Scientists at NIAIDs Vaccine Research Center (VRC) and Moderna were able to quickly develop mRNA-1273 because of prior studies of related coronaviruses that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Coronaviruses are spherical and have spikes protruding from their surface, giving the particles a crown-like appearance. The spike binds to human cells, allowing the virus to gain entry. VRC and Moderna scientists already were working on an investigational MERS vaccine targeting the spike, which provided a head start for developing a vaccine candidate to protect against COVID-19. Once the genetic information of SARS-CoV-2 became available, the scientists quickly selected a sequence to express the stabilized spike protein of the virus in the existing mRNA platform.
The Phase 1 trial is led by Lisa A. Jackson, M.D., senior investigator at KPWHRI. Study participants will receive two doses of the vaccine via intramuscular injection in the upper arm approximately 28 days apart. Each participant will be assigned to receive a 25 microgram (mcg), 100 mcg or 250 mcg dose at both vaccinations, with 15 people in each dose cohort. The first four participants will receive one injection with the low dose, and the next four participants will receive the 100 mcg dose. Investigators will review safety data before vaccinating the remaining participants in the 25 and 100 mcg dose groups and before participants receive their second vaccinations. Another safety review will be done before participants are enrolled in the 250 mcg cohort.
Participants will be asked to return to the clinic for follow-up visits between vaccinations and for additional visits across the span of a year after the second shot. Clinicians will monitor participants for common vaccination symptoms, such as soreness at the injection site or fever as well as any other medical issues. A protocol team will meet regularly to review safety data, and a safety monitoring committee will also periodically review trial data and advise NIAID. Participants also will be asked to provide blood samples at specified time points, which investigators will test in the laboratory to detect and measure the immune response to the experimental vaccine.
This work is critical to national efforts to respond to the threat of this emerging virus, Dr. Jackson said. We are prepared to conduct this important trial because of our experience as an NIH clinical trials center since 2007.
Adults in the Seattle area who are interested in joining this study should visit https://corona.kpwashingtonresearch.org. For more information about the study, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search identifier NCT04283461.
NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIHTurning Discovery Into Health
Adults in the Seattle area who are interested in joining this study should visit https://corona.kpwashingtonresearch.org/. People who live outside of this region will not be eligible to participate in this trial.
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The government has today published new and updated guidance to provide affected sectors with the latest advice on managing the threat from COVID-19. The Public Health England (PHE) guidance provides important information for specific sectors, including schools and transport, on what precautions to take, what to do if someone develops symptoms and how to limit the spread of the virus.
The guidance will assist staff, employers and members of the public after the government last week shifted into the delay phase of its action plan to slow the spread of the virus, reduce pressures on the NHS and protect the most vulnerable.
New and updated COVID-19 industry guidance:
Guidance has also been published on how to clean non-healthcare settings such as offices or hotel rooms where a person with possible or confirmed COVID-19 has spent time while experiencing symptoms.
The guidance recommends a range of measures for different industries, including:
The advice for these settings continues to be not to close unless advised to do so by the local Public Health England Health Protection Team or the government.
It comes after the Health and Social Care Secretary announced an expanded public awareness campaign asking people to self-isolate for 7 days if they develop a high temperature or a new continuous cough, however mild.
The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves remains washing hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water.
The next phase of the awareness campaign reiterates the importance of seeking help online by visiting NHS.UK/coronavirus to check symptoms and follow the medical advice, rather than visiting a GP.
Last week, the government published advice for the social care sector to protect older people and those with underlying conditions.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
Our goal is to protect life by protecting the vulnerable and the NHS.
We are in the midst of the biggest public health emergency in a generation, and everyone has a part to play. As the government works round the clock as part of our action plan to tackle the virus, its vital that different industries know exactly what they need to do to limit the spread of COVID-19 and ultimately protect life.
This updated guidance provides clear information on what to do if someone is experiencing symptoms, how to keep people informed and the precautions that we should all be taking including continuing to regularly wash our hands.
PHEs National Infections Service Deputy Director Nick Phin said:
The most important actions people can all take are to wash their hands regularly, stay at home when they have symptoms however mild and to regularly clean and disinfect surfaces.
We will keep our guidance under constant review and update it as the situation unfolds.
