COVID-19 vaccine landscape

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is currently pandemic, and as of 15th November 2020, there have been 53.7 million confirmed cases worldwide and around 1.3 million deaths. The availability of an effective vaccine is the best long-term answer to the current COVID-19 pandemic. More than 210 candidate vaccines have come into development since the start of the pandemic. Eleven vaccines (ten of them specifically directed against SARS-CoV-2) have entered phase 3 clinical trials. Five of these vaccines have also been approved for early or limited use. This review outlines information on the current COVID-19 vaccine pipeline, discusses the pros and cons of different vaccine delivery systems and the steps involved in getting a safe and effective vaccine to the global population.