What you should know about the Covid-19 vaccines from top experts in the field. As the SARS-Cov2 virus emerged and spread globally in early 2020, unprecedented international efforts began to develop and test vaccines to control the devastating pandemic. This book focuses on the remarkable progress in developing vaccines, the amazing effectiveness of the early vaccines, and the challenges of delivering them to the population. To put this extraordinary progress into perspective, the history of other vaccines is presented and their roles in individual protection and protection of the community, “vaccines that protect the unvaccinated,” are outlined.
The rigorous processes whereby vaccines are evaluated in distinct phases and the steps that must be met prior to obtaining regulatory approval for both vaccine safety and effectiveness are highlighted. Multiple vaccine approaches are reviewed, including new approaches such as “messenger or mRNA vaccine” that may revolutionize future vaccine development. The comprehensive models used to provide recommendations and priorities for vaccination of groups of people at risk are summarized. The book also focuses on the questions that remain unanswered after the vaccines are approved. These include duration of immunity, risk factors for vaccine failure, impact of viral evolution and variant strains, and assessment of both immediate and long-term safety. The authors also address concerns about vaccine acceptance including roll-out, access, and detailed and trusted sources of information.
"As the SARS-Cov2 virus emerged and spread globally in early 2020, unprecedented international efforts began to develop and test vaccines to control the devastating pandemic. This book focuses on the remarkable progress in developing vaccines, the amazing effectiveness of the early vaccines, and the challenges of delivering them to the population"--Back cover.
"Although many books will be written about COVID-19 and vaccines to prevent it, none will be written by a group of experts as informed and experienced as the three authors of this book. A must read for anyone interested in getting the straight story."
—Paul Offit, Director, Vaccine Education Center, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Professor of Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
“Vaccination against COVID-19 has begun, but in order to be successful it must have public acceptance. Information about vaccines is spreading but is often vague and contradictory. Therefore, a book about vaccines against the new coronavirus that is aimed at the public is badly needed in order that people understand and accept vaccination. This book fills that urgent need.”
—Stanley Plotkin, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania
"This brief volume is succinct, clearly written, and extremely informative. It presents a superb all-inclusive view of vaccines, with great emphasis on those that were speedily and successfully developed against SARS-COV-2. A great read for physicians and persons interested in understanding the nature of this ferocious pandemic and its control."
—Anne Gershon, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University, Vagelos School of P&S
