Any COVID-19 vaccine that enters clinical trials, much less progresses through any of the significant clinical trial milestones, is a great achievement, both for that vaccine and for COVID-19 vaccine development generally. This, therefore, is a positive announcement.

A word of caution, however, in that no data has been shared, much less published in a peer-reviewed journal, which is really what is required to substantiate any claims of safety or efficacy. This should hopefully follow in the near future. It was also a rather small phase 1 study and, when talking about immune responses, only an antibody response has thus far been mentioned. And only systemic side-effects have been mentioned as not being present. So, I would also eagerly await information relating to other immunological studies as well as local side-effect rates.

Overall, however, it is great to hear that the small phase 1 trial of this vaccine has generated sufficient data to approve it being utilised in further studies.