BANGKOK (NNT) – The Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, said today that Thailand now has a team working towards the development of vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The team comprises members from various institutions, led by the National Vaccine Institute (NVI).

The NVI Director, Dr. Nakorn Premsri, explained that vaccine development involves the synthesizing of ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or fragments of the virus. An experimental vaccine can then be tested on hamsters or monkeys to see if it has any effect on the immune system. There are three phases of clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine. The first phase focuses on safety, with about 30 to 50 volunteers. The next phase focuses on stimulating the immune system, involving 100 to 150 people. The third phase involves at least 500 volunteers to determine its effectiveness. If the vaccine is effective, the team will submit it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval.

Full story: NNT

Reporter: Praphorn Praphornkul,
Rewriter: Rodney McNeil
National News Bureau of Thailand

TN

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