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Coronavirus pandemic

It will take at least 18 months to develop anti-coronavirus vaccine, says Russian expert

According to the expert, the novel virus has come for long and is unlikely to disappear

© AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. It will take about 18 months to develop a viable anti-coronavirus vaccine, Vladimir Nikoforov, the chief specialist in infectious diseases of the Russian Federal Medical Biological Agency and holder of chair in infectious diseases of the Pirogov Medical University, said on Tuesday.

"It typically takes at least 18 months to develop a really viable vaccine tested for efficacy and safety. That’s the reference point. When we have tested it, we will see if it is efficient," he said.

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According to the expert, the novel virus has come for long and is unlikely to disappear. It has two possible ways for the future. "It either degrades to a petty season acute respiratory infection, like its predecessors - we know four coronaviruses which caused petty cold - and it will be the fifth such one. Or it will acquire a nature of season influenza, i.e. it will come in autumn, causing serious sicknesses, and fade away by summer," he said. "But, obviously, there will be no such outbreaks like this winter and spring.".

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