Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker (The New York Times)

Researchers are testing 54 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and at least 87 preclinical vaccines are under active investigation in animals. © The New York Times

Researchers are testing 54 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and at least 87 preclinical vaccines are under active investigation in animals. © The New York Times

Since January 2020, researchers worldwide have been working tirelessly to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The first vaccine safety trial in humans started in March, and as of November 2020, 12 of them have reached the final stages of testing. As with previous vaccines, some of these trials will fail, and others could end without a clear result. But a few vaccines may succeed in stimulating the immune system to produce effective antibodies against the virus.

The New York Times have developed the Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, a well-documented and daily-updated resource on the status of all the vaccines that have reached trials in humans, along with a selection of promising vaccines still being tested in animals.

The Vaccine Tracker also includes a good explainer of the development cycle of a vaccine, from lab to clinic, including details on the three trials that have been paused for safety.

In addition to the new vaccines being currently tested, a number of vaccines that are already in use for other diseases and might also protect against Covid-19 are described. These are called ‘repurposed vaccines’.

BactiVax - Siobhán McClean