Delivering a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 by this winter would count as one the most ambitious scientific feats in history. With a handful of vaccines now in the midst of large-scale clinical trials, a growing number of experts say it’s an achievable goal. But many potential roadblocks could stymie “Operation Warp Speed,” with leading vaccine candidates relying on innovative but unproven technologies. Even if one vaccine is shown to be safe and effective, enormous manufacturing and distribution challenges remain, as well as difficult questions of who gets vaccinated first. Many public health experts fear that political pressure from the Trump administration to deliver an “October surprise” could compromise safety and public trust. As this drama unfolds, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are bringing in billions in government funding, raising questions about potential cronyism, accountability and regulatory oversight. In this webinar, we’ll take a broad look at where we stand, take a deeper look at how these vaccines actually work, and discuss key challenges and story lines to track as we enter a critical phase in the race for a vaccine against the coronavirus. (Visit link here)
KIDE-Hoopa 91.3 FM Tribally Owned and Operated Community Radio