Universal coronavirus vaccine

Transmission electron micrograph of a coronavirus.

A universal coronavirus vaccine, also known as a pan-coronavirus vaccine, is a theoretical coronavirus vaccine that would be effective against all coronavirus strains. A universal vaccine would provide protection against coronavirus strains that have caused disease in humans, such as SARS-CoV-2 (including all its variants), while also providing protection against future coronavirus strains. Such a vaccine has been proposed to prevent or mitigate future coronavirus epidemics and pandemics.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Efforts to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine began in early 2020.[3] In December 2021, NIAID director Anthony Fauci, virologist Jeffery K. Taubenberger, and David M. Morens endorsed the development of durable universal coronavirus vaccines and advocated in favor of "an international collaborative effort to extensively sample coronaviruses from bats as well as wild and farmed animals to help understand the full 'universe' of existing and emerging coronaviruses", including already identified animal coronaviruses with pandemic potential.[6][7][8] In March 2022, the White House released the "National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan", which, in part, discusses plans to "accelerate research and development toward a single COVID vaccine that protects against SARS-CoV-2 and all its variants, as well as previous SARS-origin viruses".[9]

  1. ^ Mullin E (2021-06-09). "A 'Universal' Coronavirus Vaccine to Prevent the Next Pandemic". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  2. ^ Kirkendoll SM (2021-07-07). "New universal coronavirus vaccine could prevent future pandemics". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  3. ^ a b Joi P (2021-07-13). "Could a universal coronavirus vaccine soon be a reality?". GAVI. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  4. ^ Le Page M (2021-11-10). "Covid-resistant people point way to universal coronavirus vaccine". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  5. ^ Kwon D (2021-06-29). "The Quest for a Universal Coronavirus Vaccine". The Scientist. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  6. ^ a b Morens DM, Taubenberger JK, Fauci AS (January 2022). "Universal Coronavirus Vaccines - An Urgent Need". The New England Journal of Medicine. 386 (4): 297–299. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2118468. PMC 11000439. PMID 34910863. S2CID 245219817.
  7. ^ a b "NIH scientists urge pursuit of universal coronavirus vaccine". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 2021-12-16. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  8. ^ a b Bush E (2021-12-15). "Fauci pushes for universal coronavirus vaccine". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  9. ^ "National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan" (PDF). The White House. March 2022. pp. 9, 21, 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-29.