Century-old tuberculosis vaccine could be a weapon versus coronavirus

Scientists in a minimum of four countries are testing whether the century-old vaccine for tuberculosis can decrease the severity of some COVID-19 cases. The vaccine has been around for over a century but scientists argue it may enhance the body’s ability to combat off the infection prior to it becomes worse.

In Australia, 4,000 health care employees were injected with the vaccine. Those trial outcomes are still a couple of months away– however it’s hoped the old vaccine might end up being a new weapon in the war versus the illness.

” If we find that the BCG vaccine and its capability to improve the body immune system does reduce the seriousness of COVID-19[…] we would have something type of off the shelf that we can utilize, hopefully, throughout this pandemic or if there was a 2nd wave,” said professor Nigel Curtis of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia. Curtis is running the trial of the vaccine.

A different New york city study that has not yet been peer-reviewed claims nations with high COVID-19 death rates, such as the U.S., did not have universal BCG vaccination policies. The study states nations that regularly immunize versus tuberculosis, like South Africa, are faring much better.

The majority of people in South Africa were injected with the BCG vaccine when they were kids. Experts warn this isn’t a magic bullet– so they continue to test and evaluate for COVID-19 throughout South Africa.