Spain could have first coronavirus vaccine candidate ready for testing this month

SPAIN could have the first candidate for a coronavirus vaccine ready this month, according to Science Minister Pedro Duque.

Duque reported that a group of Spanish scientists at the CNB Biotechnology National Centre are carrying out investigations and could shortly have a “vaccine project” ready to start testing on animals.

“Probably before the end of April we will have the first candidate for an international level vaccine made with the full virus”, the minister commented at a press conference on Thursday.

He explained that there is only one other group in the world working on this type of virus and they are at the same the same level.

“There are other kinds which are made more quickly and which could also work, and in other countries they are carrying out tests with animal or human models. But I believe that it is very possible that the vaccine will be discovered in our country.”

He underlined the point that Spain is one of the few centres in the world with two decades of experience in this kind of virus and underscored the invaluable contribution of the Spanish investigators in the global battle against Covid-19.