Covid-19 Vaccine for Spain’s Citizens Just ‘6-12 Months Away’

According to Spain’s optimistic Science Minister Pedro Duque, a coronavirus vaccine for its citizens through the public healthcare system could be “just six to 12 months away.”

“WE are optimistic that there will be a vaccine available through Spain’s public healthcare system when its safety and effectiveness have been sufficiently proven,” said Duque. “We believe doses with all the necessary guarantees will be ready by early next year.” Four Spanish biotech companies have received €1.3 million in public funding to create an effective Covid-19 vaccine. “Within a few months, we’ll be producing a vaccine that can be used on humans. I think this is a very positive outcome of the projects that we have funded,” said Duque.

One of Spain’s most advanced vaccine projects against the disease is led by Mariano Esteban at the National Biotechnology Centre in Madrid. Esteban’s vaccine will be “manufactured by CZ Vaccines at a factory in the northwestern region of Galicia.” Spain is also part of the EU’s negotiating team (with Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Sweden), working on tiered approach for distribution, so high-risk groups, such as the elderly and key works in health/education, benefit from it first.

There are currently 149 experimental vaccines against Covid-19 being created around the world, with around 17 of them already being tested on humans, according to the World Health Organisation. Five research groups from Spain have developed a vaccine currently being trialled, according to the Duque. British drug company AstraZeneca, which has partnered with Oxford University, to develop a Covid-19 vaccine also announced two weeks ago that by the end of this year it, will have around 100 million doses ready for distribution in the EU. Human trials of this vaccine are already underway in the UK and Brazil, as reported. Oxford University and AstraZeneca will find out if the Coronavirus vaccine trial is a success by August 2020, according to the scientists involved.

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Pepi Sappal

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