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A vaccine for the deadly coronavirus may never be developed, a leading immunologist has warned.

But Professor Ian Frazer, who co-invented the groundbreaking HPV cervical cancer vaccine, also said it was possible that Covid-19 could diminish naturally, becoming less effective on its own.

The Australian told news.com.au that trying to immunise against coronavirus was like trying to immunise against the common cold - difficult to impossible.

He added: “It is tricky, vaccines for upper respiratory tract diseases, because the virus lands on the outside of you."

Prof Frazer, of Queensland University, said 100 teams all over the world were testing for vaccines, but he stressed there was no model of how to attack Covid-19.

(Image: Getty Images)

Immunising against flu was more straightforward, he said.

“Coronavirus doesn’t get into you, it stays on the surface cells in your lungs," he added. "All these flu viruses get into you, so the body can fight and makes T cells.

“This virus doesn’t kill the cells, it makes them sick. At the moment we don’t know how to make a coronavirus vaccine work. That’s why there are 100 vaccines under testing using every conceivable approach.

“We don’t know if any of them will work.”

(Image: via REUTERS)

On a more positive note, Prof Frazer pointed out that a vaccine was never developed for SARS following an outbreak in China in 2003, but it burnt out on its own.

The virus became less effective as it passed from host to host, explained Prof Frazer - something that could feasibly happen with Covid-19 too.

He added: “It may well be the same with this virus. It’s not very effective in making us sick. It may become less effective."