The coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading all around the world. At this moment, more than 3,822,000 people have confirmed cases, and 265,100 people have died according to the worldometers website. The coronavirus is affecting 212 countries and territories around the world. Since it has been declared a pandemic, researchers and scientists are testing vaccines, with no guarantee of success, but even if everything goes well, the vaccine might not hit the market until after the outbreak has subsided.

   The new coronavirus is an RNA virus, which means that it can duplicate itself and infect other cells quickly. Scientists are working hard to fit into this coronavirus, but the main reason that the vaccine takes a long time to be commercialized is safety. They have been testing possible vaccines, but to be sent out to the public, they have to be sure that the vaccine is harmless. As the situation is urgent, some countries such as the US and UK(Oxford) are skipping animal testing. However, there are still no effective vaccines for coronavirus itself. Even if the vaccine is found, it has to go through several steps to be FDA certified. First, clinical trials on humans will take place. Phase 1 trials are small, usually, only a few dozen closely monitored participants. The main goal here is to make sure the vaccine is safe. In phase 2, a vaccine is then tested in hundreds of patients to expand the safety assessment and allow scientists to dig into the body’s immune response. Phase 3 trials can enroll thousands of people, typically where some will be randomly assigned to get the vaccine. Finally, afterward, the vaccine can finally be commercialized. This process can take years or even more.

   Scientists and researchers are working hard to create a vaccine, but according to a lot of experts, a coronavirus vaccine will take so much time because they need safety tests. So to protect yourself until a vaccine is available, avoid going to places that a lot of people are hanging out, and check your body to make sure that you are healthy. Plus, if you really have to go out, make sure to use face masks to protect both yourself and others.