The first vaccines developed to protect people from COVID-19 have been approved by the FDA and shipped throughout the country, giving Americans hope that an end to the coronavirus pandemic is in sight. Most of the initial 2.9 million doses will be given to health care workers and people working and living in long-term care facilities. The vaccine must be kept frozen at very low temperatures, one of many factors that make nationwide distribution extremely complicated. Listen to hear more about the plan to distribute doses, what could go wrong, and how the government is preparing for possible mishaps.
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November 30, 2020
4:04
Two American pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Moderna, have developed vaccines that have been shown in trials to offer safe and effective protection against COVID-19. Now, the country needs to develop a coordinated plan for distributing them. The vaccines from both companies must be kept cold – one at temperatures colder than winter in Antarctica – which has implications for how they are shipped and distributed. Listen to learn how the vaccines will be kept cold as they move around the country and how state coordinators are deciding where each of the vaccines might work best.
Read MoreNovember 16, 2020
3:59
Researchers have announced that an important COVID-19 vaccine trial is showing promising results. Interim results for the phase III trial, which tests the vaccine’s safety and efficacy among thousands of participants, indicate that the vaccine is working to prevent COVID-19. While it will still be some time before a vaccine is widely available, the development process is going much faster than usual. Listen to learn about how the study was designed, what results are showing so far, and what the next steps are in moving toward widespread vaccine administration.
This audio story was recorded in early November. The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and parts of this story may be dated.
Read MoreNovember 3, 2020
4:15
In the race to create a vaccine against COVID-19, several drug companies have moved into the final stages of development, which involves human testing. Thousands of Americans have volunteered to receive trial vaccines to help test their safety and effectiveness. The FDA has promised to fast-track the approval process for drugs deemed safe, although some Americans worry about the limitations of the accelerated timeline, including questions about the duration of immunization. Listen to hear a vaccine trial volunteer describe her experience, and learn how one COVID-19 drug works to fight the infection.
This audio story was recorded in late September. The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and parts of this story may be dated.
Read MoreMarch 23, 2020
4:01
Scientists are one step closer to finding a vaccine to protect people against COVID-19. A biomedical research company has vaccinated eight patients in Washington state with a new trial vaccine and has plans to vaccinate dozens more. The patients will be closely watched over time to make sure the vaccine is both safe and effective. The careful process means a vaccine will likely not be available to the general public for at least a year. Listen to learn how the new vaccine testing works and what motivates the scientists involved in the project.
This audio story was recorded in mid-March. The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and parts of this story may be dated.
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