Corbevax vaccine

As with all benefits, the vaccines to combat COVID-19 have not been distributed evenly around the globe.  The rich countries have both vaccines and boosters and the poor countries maybe have a first vaccine dose if they are lucky.  This is despite the fact that we know that, in leaving any country or community unvaccinated, we run the risk of a new variant emerging which might possibly threaten all of us all over again. Part of the problem is that the vaccines are owned by pharmaceutical companies who are not willing to provide generic versions for countries that can’t afford their prices.

But now some scientists in America have come up with a patent-free vaccine called Corbevax. It was produced at the Texas Children’s Hospital Centre for Vaccine Development by Drs Maria Elena Bottazi and Peter Hotez (pictured above).  It is a traditional vaccine which introduces a spike protein from the virus into the person to produce an immune response.  For this kind of vaccine there are already established production centres. It can be kept in an ordinary refrigerator.  And everyone can have access to it and produce it at minimum cost.  This may give us the worldwide vaccination that is necessary to have some sense that we are in control of COVID-19.