First demonstration of COVID-19-like response by an essential virus encoded protein by SARS-CoV-2 in vivo
Acute lung injury (ALI) can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can cause significant and lethal effects for those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
SARS-CoV-2, which is the causative agent of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), was first reported in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. Since then, SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 182 million people worldwide and caused the deaths of almost 4 million people as of June 30, 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired international collaborations to work together in developing effective and safe vaccines in a rapid manner. While significant progress has been made in the development and distribution of these vaccines in many countries around the world, several challenges have limited the ability of many populations to also benefit from these medical advancements. Some of these challenges
Shortly after SARS-CoV emerged at the turn of the 21st century, the spike (S) protein (particularly in its prefusion [native] conformation) was identified as the immunodominant antigen of the virus.
1 Evaluation of patients with SARS-CoV-2 revealed that binding and neutralizing antibodies primarily target the receptor-binding domain of the S1 subunit.
2 Once this putative vaccine target was identified, the next challenge was how to best generate an effective immune response to SARS-CoV-2. The characteristics of this response would include production of neutralizing antibodies, generation of a T-cell response, and avoidance of immune-enhanced disease (vaccine-induced response that led to paradoxically increased disease severity on viral challenge).
The biggest problems seemed then and now to be at the federal level. The state of North Carolina and its local governments are doing well. How well?
I was vaccinated two weeks ago at CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia. My appointment was scheduled for 8:40 a.m. I arrived at 8:30 and was back in my car by 9 a.m. That is efficient.
The lady who helped me register said management had turned the administrative process over to the IT department. That way they knew there would be little “chit-chat” at the registration desks. They were right.
A total of 900 people were getting vaccinated four-days per week at the hospital the week I received my first shot. I understand the health department’s results at the Farmer’s Market are equally efficient, though they have access to less vaccine and can vaccinate just one or two days per week. If there are problems, it is not at the local level, at least not in Gaston County.
What do we know about the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines so far?
The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has led to an unparalleled focus on developing preventive and therapeutic measures. Within a year of the pandemic’s onset, the world saw the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use. Scores more are being developed or are in late-phase clinical trials. A new paper published in the journal
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews sums up what is known about these vaccines so far.
Many national and international research collaborations and drives have also come up as a result of the urgent need for vaccines to arrest or at least contain the spread of the virus. These are aimed at funding and coordinating various phases of vaccine development, as well as codifying and streamlining manufacturing processes and global distribution of the final vaccine. The money and efforts that ha