Third coronavirus vaccine succeeds at trials

AstraZeneca on Monday said its COVID-19 vaccine was up to 90 percent effective in late-stage trials. The manufacturing company and Oxford University ran trials of the vaccine in Brazil and the United Kingdom. Pfizer and Moderna also reported nearly 95 percent efficacy last week from similar late-stage trials.

What do we know about the vaccine? The vaccine uses a weakened version of a common cold virus combined with the genetic material for the protein of the virus that causes COVID-19. A half-dose of the jab followed by a full dose one month later proved 90 percent, while two full doses one month apart was 62 percent effective. Unlike the two other vaccines at late-stage trials, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine does not require ultra-cold temperature for storage, making it easier to distribute in developing countries. Patients receiving the vaccine did not report any severe cases or hospitalizations. Regulators must approve the vaccine to allow for a widespread rollout.

Dig deeper: Read Charles Horton’s report about the process of developing a new vaccine.