COVID-19 vaccine: Potential candidates, achievements, and challenges

Muhammad  Shoaib; Ahmad  Waheed; Muhammad  Wajid; Hafiza  Urwa; Tehmina  Khan; Muhammad Saleem  Khan; Muhammad Waseem  Aslam; Shabbir  Ahmad; Kamran  Jafar; Hasnain  Akmal; Muhammad Iqbal  Mahmood; Samrina  Shamim

doi:10.30574/gscbps.2021.15.3.0145

Authors

Muhammad Shoaib Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Ahmad Waheed Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Muhammad Wajid Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Hafiza Urwa Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Tehmina Khan Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Muhammad Saleem Khan Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Muhammad Waseem Aslam Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Shabbir Ahmad Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Kamran Jafar Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Hasnain Akmal Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Muhammad Iqbal Mahmood Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.
Samrina Shamim Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Okara, Okara 56130 Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2021.15.3.0145

Keywords:

Coronavirus disease, Major Challenges, Society perception, Vaccines, World responses

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS]-CoV-2, which is the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 [COVID-19] disease, has engulfed more than 2.4 million people and still counting. As this pandemic is at its peak and is responsible for more than 100 million infected people worldwide, there is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine to stop the COVID-19 disease. More than 220 vaccine candidates are in the pre-development stage while 15 candidates are in the developmental stage, from which Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and some other vaccines have received approval by some countries for emergency use only. Fever, tiredness, headache, joint pain, swelling at the injection site and some other common effects have been found by using these vaccines. Efficacy, rapid mass production, and long-term immunity as well as acceptance of vaccination by society are the main challenges in developing a safe vaccine against COVID-19 despite the fact that some vaccines have over 90% efficiency against COVID-19 and are useful in developing immunity as well.

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