If you were wondering why a coronavirus vaccine isn't going to be ready until next summer (at the very earliest!) I put together a guide for @WIRED about the science and economics of vaccine-making.
wired.com/story/everythi…
wired.com/story/everythi…
@WIRED It's also going to be a living document of all the ongoing efforts to make a vaccine for Covid-19. So far, more than 30 companies, startups, and academic groups are in the hunt.
Something unexpected I learned is that coronavirus vaccines face an additional complication. They can cause "immune enhancement," which is like a supercharged (sometimes deadly) immune response to a subsequent exposure. So any trials will have to take this into consideration.
The need for additional safety monitoring has the potential to slow down development, making NIAID director, Tony Fauci's estimation of 12-18 months for a usable vaccine seem even more unrealistically optimistic.
TLDR: If I were a betting person I'd guess I get coronavirus before I get a coronavirus vaccine.
