It took researchers five years to develop an Ebola vaccine, and that was a record at the time. Researchers are now on the precipice of blowing that record away.
Current projections anticipate having a potential vaccine to protect against COVID-19 by the spring of 2021.
A professor at the University of Brasilia and coordinating doctor for tests of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine, shows the vaccine to journalists at the University Hospital on Aug. 5, 2020. (Andressa Anholete/Getty Images)
“Usually it takes a lot of money and a lot of time to move the vaccine through development,” said Dr. Dawn Nolt, medical director of infectious disease prevention at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “But for the COVID-19 vaccine, given the immediacy of the need, this process has been accelerated.”
She spoke with OPB’s Geoff Norcross.
Norcross: “When are we going to get those shots?”
Nolt: “We can reasonably expect any COVID-19 vaccines, I think it’s safe to say, by spring of 2021.”
For more of Geoff’s conversation with Dr. Nolt, go here.
Oregon governor urges people to follow COVID-19 guidelines, as wildfires, smoke continue
The Oregon Health Authority announced two deaths to COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the virus’ toll in the state to 511, at a time when wildfires and a heavy blanket of smoke have taken attention away from a pandemic that has been declining regionally for over a month.
Gov. Kate Brown on Sunday emphasized the importance of continuing to follow COVID-19 guidelines. “Protect your neighbors by wearing a face covering, keeping distance & washing hands,” she wrote on Twitter.
It’s hard to believe this can all happen at once, but in addition to the wildfire crisis, COVID-19 is still very much with us. This weekend, Oregon passed the grim milestone of 500 COVID deaths. Protect your neighbors by wearing a face covering, keeping distance & washing hands.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) September 13, 2020
Oregon releases few identifying details of those who die of the virus, a concession to privacy concerns, but it did share some facts about the people whose COVID-19 deaths were announced Monday. They were:
- An 87-year-old Lane County man who tested positive on Sept. 1 and died at his home Sept. 13.
- A 92-year-old Washington County woman who tested positive on Aug. 20.
The state also announced 151 new confirmed and presumed COVID-19 diagnoses Sunday, bringing total known infections to 29,484.
Nearly half of Oregon’s deaths to COVID-19 — 242 of the total — have been in the greater Portland metro area’s Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. An additional 87 people have died in Marion County and 41 in Umatilla County.
Deaths and new diagnoses have been falling in Oregon for five straight weeks. New diagnoses are down 5% in the most recent week from the prior week, according to the Oregon Health Authority, which said deaths are also dropping and a smaller percentage of people tested are coming back positive for the virus. People in their 20s continue to be the most likely to contract COVID-19, while those older than 80 make up nearly half of all Oregon deaths from the virus.