Coronavirus Vaccine: Italy confirms big breakthrough

Italy : One day after Israel claimed of achieving a ‘significant breakthrough’ in developing an antibody to the coronavirus and applied for a patent, Italy claimed that they have created a vaccine for it which can be given to humans.

The tests are being carried out at Rome's infectious-disease Spallanzani Hospital where researchers from the firm Takis have successfully managed to generate antibodies in mice that “work” on human cells.

Scientists experimented with the vaccine on mice that had successfully developed antibodies that blocked the virus from infecting human cells in a lab.

Meanwhile, the virologists and vaccine experts in India have claimed that the vaccine could be in its early stage and more advanced options have been reported in UK and China.

“By all accounts so far, the research from Italy still seems to be in an early stage of development because it has just been tested with antibodies from mice,” said Dr T Jacob John, senior virologist associated with Christian Medical College, Vellore.

On Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett had announced that the country had a “remarkable breakthrough” in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.