Coronavirus vaccine update: First COVID-19 vaccine might not be the best one, says Bill Gates

Coronavirus COVID19 tracker:  Talking to Bloomberg agency, Gates has claimed that more effective vaccines might take a little longer to develop. (Reuters image)

Coronavirus COVID19 tracker: The world’s first Coronavirus vaccine might not be the best one, claimed Bill Gates. The Microsoft founder, however, said he was optimistic about the Coronavirus COVID19 vaccine being ready by early 2021. Gates’ apprehension over the efficacy of the Coronavirus vaccine came at a time when several experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidates have raised hope. These are Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna, Sinovac, Sino-Pharm, Pfizer-BioNtech, COVAXIN, Zydus Cadila, and Novavax. More than 160 vaccines are at different stages of development around the world. Russia has claimed that it would approve a Coronavirus vaccine by August 12.

Talking to Bloomberg agency, Gates has claimed that more effective vaccines might take a little longer to develop. The best vaccine is likely to become available in the market much later. Gates said that the initial vaccine, in terms of its effectiveness against sickness and transmission, won’t be ideal. It may not have a long duration. Gates said the first vaccine against Coronavirus might only be a ‘stop-gap’ offer available primarily to the rich countries. Gates, however, said he was hopeful that along with coronavirus vaccines, proper treatments for novel Coronavirus would also be developed. This, he said, would help in saving a large number of lives around the world.

Gates is now a philanthropist and has been backing several global public health initiatives. Gates has also provided monetary assistance to several potential COVID-19 vaccine candidates through Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates Foundation has provided financial support to an experimental vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University.