Beyond the Headlines

Beyond the Headlines: how close are we to curing Covid-19?

With the race on for a coronavirus vaccine, we asked scientists when we can expect a cure and what are researchers studying

Suhail Akram
Suhail Akram

May 11, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Top scientists across the world are putting their best foot forward to produce a vaccine for Covid-19 as soon as possible. There are more than 90 vaccines for the virus at different stages of development. At least six of these are already being tested for safety in people. What remains to be seen is which of these vaccines will be ready first and which one will be the most effective.

Mary Luz Hernandez, 34, a professional seamstress, holds up her spray gun to offer passing cars her disinfecting service, amid the spread of the new coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. AP Photo
Mary Luz Hernandez, 34, a professional seamstress, holds up her spray gun to offer passing cars her disinfecting service, amid the spread of the new coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. AP Photo
Maria Figueroa attempts to send pictures of her sons’ homework back to their teachers, from the roof of her apartment in the Catia slum of Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo
Maria Figueroa attempts to send pictures of her sons’ homework back to their teachers, from the roof of her apartment in the Catia slum of Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo
Waiters in protective gear carry food at a restaurant which is testing servers providing drinks and food to models pretending to be clients in a safe "quarantine greenhouses" in which guests can dine in Amsterdam, Netherlands. REUTERS
Waiters in protective gear carry food at a restaurant which is testing servers providing drinks and food to models pretending to be clients in a safe "quarantine greenhouses" in which guests can dine in Amsterdam, Netherlands. REUTERS
People stand on social-distancing markers at a Mercedes car dealer in Brussels, Belgium. REUTERS
People stand on social-distancing markers at a Mercedes car dealer in Brussels, Belgium. REUTERS
Red Cross volunteers walk in a street during operations in the French capital Paris. AFP
Red Cross volunteers walk in a street during operations in the French capital Paris. AFP
Lillian sweeping the empty streets of the CBD in Nairobi. AFP
Lillian sweeping the empty streets of the CBD in Nairobi. AFP
Red Cross volunteers carry a pregnant woman, as part of the Red Cross operation in Paris. AFP
Red Cross volunteers carry a pregnant woman, as part of the Red Cross operation in Paris. AFP
A man scoops with his bare hands some rice that fell from food parcels at the Kwa Mai Mai area of the Johannesburg CBD. AFP
A man scoops with his bare hands some rice that fell from food parcels at the Kwa Mai Mai area of the Johannesburg CBD. AFP
A nurse tends to a crying newborn wearing a face shield in Hanoi. AFP
A nurse tends to a crying newborn wearing a face shield in Hanoi. AFP
US Vice President Mike Pence stands among television soundmen as he listens to Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. REUTERS
US Vice President Mike Pence stands among television soundmen as he listens to Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. REUTERS
US President Donald Trump displays a proclamation in honour of National Nurses Day in the Oval Office at the White House. Reuters
US President Donald Trump displays a proclamation in honour of National Nurses Day in the Oval Office at the White House. Reuters
New York City Police officers wake up a passenger on the subway. Reuters
New York City Police officers wake up a passenger on the subway. Reuters
A man wearing a face mask uses exercise equipment at a public park in Beijing. AP Photo
A man wearing a face mask uses exercise equipment at a public park in Beijing. AP Photo
Seen through a bridge glass panel covered in graffiti a man wearing a face mask walks in Sarajevo, Bosnia. AP Photo
Seen through a bridge glass panel covered in graffiti a man wearing a face mask walks in Sarajevo, Bosnia. AP Photo

We talk to a senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent, Dr Jeremy Rossman, and a visiting professor of science at Aston University in Birmingham, Robert Matthews, about the search for an effective vaccine. This podcast was hosted by Suhail Akram.

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