No single vaccine is likely to be distributed globally; instead a range of treatments will be used. Here are two of the different vaccines and how they work.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
This RNA vaccine – one of the world's first to be approved – was developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Its active ingredient is messenger RNA, which is closely related to DNA and contains a synthetic version of COVID-19’s genetic code.
Once injected, the patient’s immune cells follow the vaccine’s instructions to build the coronavirus ‘spike’ protein. Their body then launches an attack against it, thereby learning how to defeat the real virus. The vaccine, which requires two doses, has 95% efficacy rate. However, a significant drawback is that it needs to be stored at -70C.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received authorization for use by the UK regulator on 2 December. It has also been approved in other countries, including the US, Canada and in the European Union. US company Moderna has also developed an RNA vaccine, which has also been approved for use in the United States.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
This viral vector vaccine was developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca and works by altering a harmless adenovirus so it contains the genetic code for the coronavirus spike protein.
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