What will it take to discover a COVID-19 vaccine? KSAT Explains

KSAT Explains dives into clinical trials in San Antonio, history and process to create potential coronavirus vaccine

SAN ANTONIO – We have been living with COVID-19 for the better part of 2020. The virus has infected millions of people, killed hundreds of thousands around the world and upended our daily lives.

Many people believe life will return to normal with a vaccine. It’s not that simple.

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In this week’s episode of KSAT Explains, which can be streamed in the video player above, we examine the challenges to create a potential vaccine, how they are tested and how long it takes before a vaccine can safely be introduced into the general population.

According to The New York Times, there are more than 165 COVID-19 vaccine trials underway.

The trials are broken up by phases and some of the research is being conducted in San Antonio.

Below is a video that explains how San Antonio is involved and a chart from the CDC which shows the vaccine life cycle.

HOW VACCINES WORK WITHIN THE HUMAN BODY

Vaccines help the human body develop an immunity to a disease by imitating an infection. Here’s a breakdown of how they work within the human body.

HISTORY OF VACCINES

Vaccines have evolved over centuries and have become a part of human life. We look at the history of immunizations dating back to 1000 AD.

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

  • How quickly vaccines have been made in the past
  • What makes San Antonio well-positioned to host COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials
  • The new set of challenges that will be presented in communities if a COVID-19 vaccine is approved

About the Authors:

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.

Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains. She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.