The first steps towards an effective vaccine against a new coronavirus (nCoV) are done.

Researchers at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified the virus and shared their data internationally — at speed.

Xu Wenbo, who heads the CDC's National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, told local reporters that researchers had rapidly isolated the virus and analyzed its genetic makeup.

Both are important early steps towards understanding a virus and how it may be stopped.

Read more: Germany confirms human transmission of coronavirus

It's the first time in human history that scientists have identified a new virus that can spread from animals to people — in an active scenario — genetically sequenced that virus, replicated it in a lab, and shared the information so speedily, internationally, in scientific journals.

Vaccine development in progress

It's meant that Chinese researchers have been able to start work on a vaccine. Other researchers in the USA, Australia and other countries are also working on vaccines.

In the USA, the National Institute of Health has set up a vaccine development group, with Anthony S. Fauci at its head, to coordinate further strategies.

Watch video 01:20 Coronavirus: Researchers are looking for solutions

Dr. Fauci has been director of the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which includes HIV/AIDS, Ebola and Zika, since 1984.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (FAMA), Fauci says that two vaccines that were developed for other types of coronavirus, known as SARS and MERS, could be a good foundation for a vaccine against the new type, which broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan, nCoV.

Using so-called "vaccine platforms," researchers take a relatively harmless virus (like for a common cold) and add elements of the coronavirus into it to provoke a reaction from the immune system.

In 2003, a research group headed by Andrea Gambott, a molecular researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, used that method to create three artificial viruses, which could then be used to develop vaccines.

Researchers at the University of Marburg are also trying to develop a nCoV vaccine

Those artificial viruses were based on different proteins.

First, the spike protein S1, which is the reason for the coronal spikes in a coronavirus and which is a membrane protein, and, second, the capsid protein from the original SARS virus. A capsid is the protein-based shell of a virus.

Their quick development was only possible because the entire genome of the SARS virus was itself sequenced in record-breaking time.

But despite that progress in 2003, a SARS vaccine did not make it beyond tests on non-human animals — the main reason being that the epidemic ended shortly after the researchers successfully tested a vaccine on macaques, an Asian monkey.

Unknown risks: The ability of the virus to mutate

One thing makes the development of a vaccine against coronaviruses especially difficult: their ability to adapt.

Read more: Coronavirus: Everything you need to know

Corona virus infections: Official count on January 29th 2020

It was like that with SARS. And the researchers were concerned that their vaccine, based on spike protein S1, may even accelerate the virus' mutation into new forms.

However, Fauci still thinks the spike vaccine and the other, based on the SARS capsid, could potentially be good starting points for a nVoC vaccine.

Commercially-traded vaccine manufacturers, such as Novavax, are also at the starting blocks. Novavax says it has a MERS vaccine in the pipeline.

Meanwhile in Australia, a team headed by Keith Chappell at the University of Queensland is also developing a vaccine.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Better than nothing It has not been proven that the face masks seen above can effectively protect you against viral infections. That said, these masks are probably able to catch some germs before they reach your mouth or nose. More importantly, they prevent people from touching their mouth or nose (which most people do instinctually). If you are already sick, such masks may keep you from infecting others.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Disinfect your hands One of the best ways to protect yourself from the virus is to frequently clean your hands, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of recommendations. The WHO recommends alcohol-based hand rub, like the ones seen here in a hospital.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Soap and water will do as well The simpler day-to-day solution is to use water and soap, if you've got some handy. But make sure to wash your hands thoroughly. Health authorities in the US recommend washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, making sure to pay attention to areas like your fingertips, thumbs and underneath your nails.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Coughing and sneezing - but doing it right! So here's what the doctors recommend: When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with your flexed elbow. Or use tissue — but then immediately throw that tissue away and wash your hands. With your shirt or sweater, however, no, you don't need to throw them away. Do wash them frequently, though, or take them to the dry cleaner's.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Stay away! Another recommendation that may not work for everybody: Avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough! If you have to tend to sick people, make doubly sure to take additional protective measures.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Got a fever? Go to the doctor, not on a trip! If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Avoid public places so you don't infect others. And also, explain to your doctor where you've previously traveled and who you may have come in contact with.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Avoid contact! When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of the novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals. That includes any surfaces that are in contact with animals as well.

How to protect yourself against the coronavirus Well done — not rare! Cook meat thoroughly. The consumption of raw, or undercooked, animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods. These are good food safety practices and help prevent the spread of illnesses. Author: Fabian Schmidt



Chappell's team is part of a group calling itself the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). Together, they aim to develop a vaccine using a "molecular clamp."

The idea there is to make a virus appear to the body as a full-blown, stabile virus when it's only in its earliest stages. That would allow the human immune system to attack the virus before it's had a chance to merge with cells in the body. When viruses merge with cells, that's when they get really dangerous — they can then strengthen their hold, replicate and spread.

Speaking to Reuters news agency, Chappell said that the molecular clamp method was another kind of "platform vaccine." And it's shown itself to be effective against other dangerous viruses, such as Ebola, MERS and SARS — but only in the lab.

As with SARS, the biggest challenge is still that of getting (developing, testing and approving) a vaccine fast enough.

Those US researchers under Fauci hope to start testing a vaccine on people in three months.

Watch video 01:56 Share Coronavirus: Cities under quarantine Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Wts9 Coronavirus: Cities under quarantine

Even if it all goes well, the earliest a vaccine against nCoV could be introduced would be the summer of 2020. That would be a record in the history of vaccine development. With SARS, it took another 20 months after the virus' genome had been sequenced before any vaccine hit the horizon.

Medicines against viruses

But whether it even gets that far this time may depend on a completely different approach.

Researchers are considering the use of existing antiviral medicines.

In his viewpoint article in the JAMA, Fauci cites broad-spectrum antivirals as remdesivir, an RNA polymerase inhibitor, which is known in the treatment of Ebola, or a combination of medicines used in HIV treatment, including lopinavir and ritonavir.

Chinese authorities have ordered already large quantities of the HIV medicine Aluvia / Kaletra, says Adelle Infante, a spokeswoman for the company AbbVie, which produces HIV treatment products. Aluvia is a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir.

Another potential approach against the coronavirus nCoV is with monoclonal antibodies, which can activate specific immunological reactions in the body.

Herbert Virgin at Vir Biotechnology in Illinois, USA, says his company has developed antibodies which have shown themselves to be effective against SARS and MERS in laboratory tests. Some were reportedly able to neutralize coronaviruses. "It's possible that they could also treat the Wuhan virus," says Virgin.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Pneumonia-like virus hits Wuhan On December 31, 2019, China notifies the World Health Organization of a string of respiratory infections in the city of Wuhan, home to some 11 million people. The root virus is unknown and disease experts around the world begin working to identify it. The strain is traced to a seafood market in the city, which is quickly shut down. Some 40 people are initially reported to be infected.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 First death in China On January 11, China announces the first death from the coronavirus — a 61-year-old man, who had shopped at the Wuhan market, dies from complications with pneumonia. Like SARS and the common cold, scientists identified that the new virus is in the coronavirus family. It is temporarily named 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Virus reaches neighboring countries In the following days, countries such as Thailand and Japan begin to report cases of infections in people who had visited the same Wuhan market. In China, a second fatality is confirmed in the city. By January 20, three people have died in China and more than 200 are infected.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Millions under lockdown China places Wuhan on quarantine on January 23 in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. Transportation is suspended and workers attempt to quickly build a new hospital to treat infected patients, which total over 830 by January 24, as the death toll climbs to 26. Officials eventually extend the lockdown to 13 other cities, affecting at least 36 million people.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 A global health emergency? More and more cases are confirmed outside of China, including in South Korea, the US, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. As the number of infections rises, the World Health Organization on January 23 determines that it's "too early" to declare a global public health emergency.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus reaches Europe On January 24, French authorities confirm three cases of the new coronavirus within its borders, marking the disease's first appearance in Europe. Hours later, Australia confirms four people have been infected with the respiratory virus.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 First cases confirmed in Germany On January 27, Germany announces its first known case of the virus — a 33-year-old in Bavaria who contracted it during a workplace training with a visiting Chinese colleague. He is put under quarantine and observation at a Munich hospital. The following day, three of his colleagues are confirmed infected. The death toll in China reaches 132, with around 6,000 infected worldwide.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 WHO declares global health emergency On January 30, the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) declares coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern in a bid to protect countries with "weaker health systems." However, WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus does not recommend trade and travel restrictions, saying these would be "an unnecessary disruption."

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 First death outside China The first death linked to the novel coronavirus outside of China is reported in the Philippines on February 2. A 44-year-old Chinese man had traveled from Wuhan to Manila before falling ill and being taken to hospital, where he later died of pneumonia.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Bad ending to a cruise Also on February 3, the cruise ship Diamond Princess is quarantined off Yokohama in Japan after cases of the new coronavirus were found on board. As of February 17, the number of people infected has grown to more than 450, the largest cluster of cases outside of China. Several of the 3,700 passengers and crew onboard the ship are being or have been flown back to their home countries.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Italy under quarantine Cases in Italy rise dramatically, with 77 deaths and thousands of confirmed cases by March 3. Many countries instigate travel restrictions to northern Italy and tourist numbers plummet. On March 8, the Italian government put the entire Lombardy region into quarantine, affecting 16 million people. March 10 sees 168 fatalities in Italy, the highest in a single day.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Economic woes European and US stock markets slump on March 6, leading to the worst week since the 2008 financial crisis. The effect on global business has been significant, with many companies reporting losses and the tourism industry and airlines badly hit. The EU pledge €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) on March 10 in an investment fund to try to stop the Eurozone falling into a recession.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 WHO declares outbreak as pandemic As worldwide cases top 127,000 and deaths pass 4,700, the World Health Organization designates the global outbreak as a "pandemic" on March 11. US President Donald Trump announces a travel restriction on people coming from the Schengen Zone in Europe, annoying the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that in Germany, 70% of the population could get the virus.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Public life on hold in Europe On March 14, Spain joins Italy in imposing a near-total nationwide lockdown to prevent the virus spreading. The population of 46 million is told not to leave their homes unless for essential tasks. In France, cafés, restaurants and non-essential shops are closed as of March 15. Many public events in Germany are cancelled and schools close.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 International travel severely restricted As of March 15, many countries impose strict travel bans or restrictions in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19. For example, New Zealand and Australia require all international passengers to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in the country. The US extends a European travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Germany imposes partial lockdown In a landmark televised address German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces far-reaching restrictions on everyday life on March 22, banning meetings between more than two people not from the same household outside of the workplace. The country has a surprisingly low death rate, a phenomenon attributed to a high level of testing, and a high number of intensive care beds.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Virus strikes at top as UK locks down On March 23rd Britain becomes the latest country to impose restrictions on personal freedoms, with people only allowed to leave their homes in a limited number of circumstances. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is diagnosed with the viruson March 27, as well as heir to the throne Prince Charles on March 25. Meanwhile, there are complaints that not everyone is taking social distancing seriously.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Grim milestone for the US On March 27 the US overtakes China in terms of the number of people infected, making it the country with the most cases of COVID-19. This came as President Donald Trump claimed that the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly." At the same time, it emerged that more than 3 million Americans had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. New York is worst-hit, with a hospital ship sent to help out.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 Spain's surging death toll Spain also overtakes China in the number of COVID-19 cases on March 30, as the government toughens the severity of its lockdown. All non-essential activities are halted. Only Italy has a higher death toll than Spain. Most affected is the capital, Madrid. With funeral services overwhelmed, officials turn the Palacio de Hielo ice skating rink into a temporary morgue.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 More than a million On April 2nd the Johns Hopkins University announced on Thursday that there were more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases around the world. The US is the most affected with three times the number than China, where the virus emerged in December. Over 50.000 people have died — and the outlook remains grim.

Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19 UK PM Boris Johnson hospitalized The 55-year-old was admitted to the intensive care unit at London's St Thomas hospital on Monday evening (6.4.) and was given oxygen treatment after his condition worsened. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 27. Author: Richard Connor



Quarantine, the best prevention for now

There is one other factor that will help determine whether a vaccine ever makes it to market, and that is the progress of the virus itself.

Chinese authorities are currently using one of the most effective measures to curtail the spread of nCoV in isolating patients and quarantining whole cities.

That's affecting the lives of about 43 million people.

Notably for now, fewer nCoV infections seem to be fatal than it was with SARS. Back then, 10 percent of the 8,000 registered infections ended in death.

The number of nCoV cases is rising rapidly and consistently, but still only comparatively few people have died. And most of those who have died were older people who had existing medical complaints or conditions.

Prof. Mark Harris, a virologist at the School for Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Leeds in the UK, estimates the mortality rate of nCoV to be at 0.1 percent.

Harris' calculations aim to include a probably very high number of unknown cases among people whose symptoms appear to be relatively mild. As a result, those people may not seek medical advice and their cases do not show up in official statistics.

If Harris' calculations turn out to be right, then the new coronavirus would not necessarily be any more dangerous than a common seasonal influenza.

It's still unclear how contagious the virus is. Chinese authorities have said it may be possible for people to infect other people with the virus before they show symptoms themselves.

That would explain why the virus has been able to spread so rapidly. But at time of writing that has yet to be fully established or proved.