A vaccine that protects against SARS, COVID-19, and future similar pandemics may be possible

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The viruses that cause COVID-19 and SARS are genetically similar and now researchers say it may be possible to develop a vaccine that protects against both these viruses, and other closely related viruses that could cause future pandemics. The researchers found that people who recovered from the SARS outbreak in 2003 and were then vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine, produce broad-spectrum antibodies. These antibodies can neutralise not only known COVID variants of concern but also related viruses that have been identified in bats and pangolins and that have the potential to cause human infection. 

Journal/conference: New England Journal of Medicine

Link to research (DOI): 10.1056/NEJMoa2108453

Organisation/s: Duke–NUS (National University of Singapore) Medical School, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore

Funder: Supported by grants from the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF2016NRF-NSFC002-013) and National Medical Research Council (STPRG-FY19-001, COVID19RF-001, COVID19RF- 003, COVID19RF-008, MOH-000535/MOH-OFYIRG19nov- 0002, and RIE2020 CCGSFPOR20002).

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