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The Race for a Vaccine

The coronavirus has killed hundreds of thousands of people and put millions out of work. Can scientists find a drug that will help our lives return to normal?

December 2020-January 2021

by Tod Olson

Courtesy Ellie Lily

Ellie Lily, a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Missouri

In April, Ellie Lily wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She’s a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Missouri. Her school had closed to stop the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. She hated that she couldn’t be with her students.

So Lily held class meetings online. But the kids were lonely and bored. And the world had turned scary. Every day, more than 5,000 people were dying from the disease. Millions more had lost their jobs.

Lily wanted to get everyone back in school safely. She also wanted to help the world return to normal. So she did something brave. She volunteered to test a brand-new drug.

The drug was designed to fight Covid-19. It had been given to mice, guinea pigs, ferrets, and monkeys. Now the drug company was ready to try it on people.

No one knew exactly what effect the drug would have on the volunteers. But Lily was willing to take that chance.

Ellie Lily is a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Missouri. In April, her school closed to stop the spread of Covid-19. That’s the disease caused by coronavirus. Lily wasn’t sure what to do. She hated not being with her students.

Lily held classes online. But her students were lonely. They were bored too. And the world had become scary. Every day, more than 5,000 people died from the disease. Millions more had lost their jobs.

Lily wanted kids to return to school safely. She also wanted the world to return to normal. So she did something brave. She volunteered to take a brand-new drug.

The drug was made to fight Covid-19. The drug had been tested on mice. It was also given to guinea pigs, ferrets, and monkeys. Now the drug company wanted to test it on people.

No one knew how the drug would affect people. But Lily was willing to try it anyway.

Ellie Lily was at a loss about what to do. She’s a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Missouri. In April, her school had closed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. She hated not being with her students.

Lily organized class meetings online, but she knew that her students were lonely and bored. And the world had turned scary. More than 5,000 people were dying from the disease every day. Millions more had lost their jobs.

Lily wanted everyone back in school safely. She also wanted to help the world return to normal. So she took a brave step—she volunteered to test a brand-new drug.

The drug, which had been tested on mice, guinea pigs, ferrets, and monkeys, was designed to fight Covid-19. Now the drug company was ready to try it on people.

No one knew exactly how the drug would affect the volunteers, but Lily decided she was willing to take the risk.

PAUSE AND THINK: What did Ellie Lily volunteer to do?

Lifesaving Drugs

Drug companies around the globe are racing to create a vaccine for Covid-19. Thousands of people like Lily have become part of that race. Many of the vaccines they are testing will fail. Hopefully, some of the drugs will be successful.

How does a vaccine work? Your body fights off disease by producing chemicals called antibodies. Antibodies attack the germs that cause disease. A vaccine tricks your body into thinking it has been invaded by germs. You produce antibodies that will make you immune to, or protect you from, those germs.

In the past century, vaccines have saved millions of people from diseases like smallpox and polio. Smallpox was a deadly disease that left its victims covered in sores. It once killed 5 million people a year.

Thanks to a vaccine, no one has gotten smallpox since 1978. And polio has been eliminated in all but a few countries.

Drug companies are racing to create a vaccine for Covid-19. Thousands of people like Lily have volunteered to try the vaccines. Many of the vaccines will fail. Hopefully, some will succeed.

Here’s how a vaccine works. Your body fights a disease by making chemicals called antibodies. Antibodies attack the germs that cause disease. A vaccine tricks your body into thinking it has been invaded by germs. So your body makes antibodies. They make you immune to those germs. You are protected from them.

Vaccines have saved millions of lives. Smallpox and polio were deadly diseases. Smallpox left its victims covered in sores. In the past, it killed 5 million people a year.

Thanks to a vaccine, no one has gotten smallpox since 1978. And polio has been eliminated in most countries.

Around the world, drug companies are racing to create a vaccine for Covid-19. Thousands of people like Lily have volunteered to join that race. Many of the vaccines they are testing will fail. Hopefully, some of the drugs will be successful.

Here’s how a vaccine works: by tricking your body! Your body fights off disease by producing chemicals called antibodies, which attack the germs that cause disease. A vaccine makes your body think it has been invaded by germs. Your body then produces antibodies that will make you immune to those germs—and you are protected from the disease.

In the past century, vaccines have saved millions of people from diseases like smallpox and polio. Smallpox, a deadly disease that left its victims covered in sores, used to kill 5 million people a year.

But, because of a vaccine, no one has gotten smallpox since 1978. And polio has been eliminated in all but a few countries.

PAUSE AND THINK: What do antibodies do?

Acting Fast

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So when can we expect a Covid-19 vaccine? Normally, creating a vaccine takes years. First, scientists need to study the disease in a lab. Then they make a vaccine, which has to be tested.

Scientists start those tests by giving the vaccine to animals. If the drug is safe and it works, scientists test it in a small group of humans. Finally, they test the vaccine on thousands more people.

For Covid-19, this is all happening in record time. More than 100 companies are working on a vaccine. There may even be one available by the time you read this article.

If a vaccine is approved, we will need billions of doses. Labs are ready to make vaccines in 1,000-gallon tanks. Companies are rushing to make needles for shots.

When will there be a Covid-19 vaccine? Normally, creating a vaccine takes years. First, scientists study the disease in a lab. Then they make a vaccine. Next, the vaccine is tested.

Testing begins on animals. If the drug is safe and it works, it is tested on a small group of people. Finally, it is tested on thousands of people.

For Covid-19, the testing is happening in record time. More than 100 companies are working on a vaccine. One may be ready by the time you read this article.

If a vaccine is approved, we will need billions of doses. Labs are ready to make vaccines in huge tanks. Companies are already making needles for shots.

So when can we expect a Covid-19 vaccine to become available? Ordinarily, it takes years to create a vaccine that is proven to work. Scientists start by studying the disease in a laboratory. After that, they make the vaccine, but it still has to be tested.

Scientists start those tests by giving the vaccine to animals. Then, provided the drug is safe and effective, scientists test it in a small group of humans. Finally, the vaccine is tested on thousands more people.

For Covid-19, more than 100 companies are working to create a vaccine—and they’re working at record speeds. A vaccine may even be available by the time you read this article.

If a vaccine is approved, the world will need billions of doses. To meet the demand, laboratories are prepared to make vaccines in 1,000-gallon tanks, and companies are hurrying to make needles for shots.

PAUSE AND THINK: How is a vaccine tested?

Back to Normal

At first, supplies of a vaccine will be limited. When a vaccine is available in the United States, health-care workers will get the first doses. People who are at great risk from the disease will be next. Covid-19 is especially dangerous to older people and people with health problems like lung or heart disease.

At some point in the future, most people will get the vaccine. Life will return to normal. People will be able to go back to work. Kids will visit their grandparents. Students will sit shoulder to shoulder in school again.

Lily is looking forward to that day. She took a risk testing a new vaccine. But she felt it was her duty as a citizen and as a teacher. “Kids need to be in the classroom,” she says. “And I need to be there with them.”

At first, there will only be a small supply of the vaccine. In the United States, health-care workers will get the first doses. People who are at great risk from the disease will be next. Covid-19 is very dangerous to older people. It is also dangerous to people with lung or heart disease.

After that, most people will get the vaccine. Life will return to normal. People will go back to work. Kids will visit their grandparents. Students will be sitting together again in school.

Lily hopes that day comes soon. She took a risk testing a new vaccine. But she thought it was her duty as a citizen and as a teacher. “Kids need to be in the classroom,” she says. “And I need to be there with them.”

At first, supplies of a vaccine will be limited—so when a vaccine becomes available in the United States, health-care workers will be given the first doses. People with health problems such as lung or heart disease, older people, and others who are at the highest risk from the disease will be next.

Eventually, most people will get the vaccine, and life will return to normal. People will be able to go back to their jobs, kids will be able to visit their grandparents, and students will once again sit shoulder to shoulder in classrooms.

Lily is looking forward to a more normal future. She took a risk by testing a new vaccine, but she felt it was her responsibility as a citizen and as a teacher. “Kids need to be in the classroom,” Lily explains, “and I need to be there with them.”