The Daily The Race for a Vaccine
Apr 1, 2020
Katrin Bennhold, Berlin bureau chief for The New York Times, joins Lidia Oostvogels to discuss the high-stakes race for a coronavirus vaccine. They explore the tensions between national interests and the urgent need for global cooperation. Bennhold reveals how geopolitical maneuvers, like the U.S. attempt to buy a German biotech company, complicate collaborative efforts. The conversation also highlights the ethical considerations in vaccine distribution and the pivotal role of scientists navigating logistical challenges and emotional hurdles in a pandemic.
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Early Stages of Vaccine Development
- Lydia Oostvogels, a CureVac scientist, noticed social media posts about a mysterious illness in Wuhan.
- Initially, she lacked the genetic sequencing to develop a vaccine, but Chinese scientists published it on January 10th.
Vaccine Mechanism
- Creating a vaccine involves mimicking the virus to stimulate antibody production in the body.
- The focus is on neutralizing the virus's spike proteins.
Vaccine Development Intensifies
- As the virus spread to Germany, Lydia's team prioritized the vaccine project.
- Working long hours and remotely, they tested various vaccine combinations in mice.