Oxford University’s Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Available As Soon As September

Many labs around the world are working at a breakneck pace to develop a vaccine to COVID-19. Among them is Oxford University's Jenner Institute, and they are reporting some promising news.

Per The New York Times, the Jenner Institute will begin human trials of their vaccine starting next month following successful tests on rhesus macaque monkeys.

"Scientists at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana last month inoculated six rhesus macaque monkeys with single doses of the Oxford vaccine," according to the NYT report. "The animals were then exposed to heavy quantities of the virus that is causing the pandemic — exposure that had consistently sickened other monkeys in the lab. But more than 28 days later all six were healthy, said Vincent Munster, the researcher who conducted the test."

Depending on how the human trials go and whether an emergency approval for the vaccine goes through, NYT adds, "The first few million doses of their vaccine could be available by September — at least several months ahead of any of the other announced efforts — if it proves to be effective."