We must not be tempted to bypass safety in the race for a coronavirus vaccine
Last week, US biotech company Moderna commenced the first clinical trial of a vaccine for COVID-19.
Similar studies are reportedly being planned in the US, China, Israel, Australia and elsewhere, with at least 20 potential vaccines under development.
The usual time scale for the development of a new vaccine is 5-10 years. But the scale of the emergency we are facing creates overwhelming pressure to speed up this process.
The Moderna trial shows this has already been at least partially successful. The speed at which this trial vaccine has been developed is breathtaking, given the virus was only identified three months ago.
