Teams at Rochester Regional Health and UR Medicine have begun work on the clinical trial of a possible COVID-19 vaccine.
They've been recruiting dozens of area residents to volunteer in the trial in partnership with BioNTech and Pfizer. Dr. Edward Walsh of RGH says they're working on a deadline. Also, as they learn more about the vaccines, they can move ahead with more confidence about their safety. They're starting in younger volunteers and gradually moving up in age in order to get the best scientific data while protecting the test subjects.
The study requires volunteers to make multiple visits over a two-year period as doctors monitor how their immune systems are responding.
It's a two-year-trial, and doctors hope a clear winner will emerge that offers the best protection against the Coronavirus and has the fewest side effects.