Meet the Vaccine Scientists: TIME’s Heroes of the Year
We’re nearing the end of a second year of pandemic life, and as the Omicron variant reminds us, this dogged virus isn’t done trying to outsmart us. But there’s reason for optimism. One year ago, we didn’t have widespread access to innovative, highly effective vaccines—and now, in the U.S. at least, they’re available to anyone who wants one.
This morning, TIME revealed its 2021 Heroes of the Year: Kizzmekia Corbett, Dr. Barney Graham, Katalin Kariko and Dr. Drew Weissman, who are among the scientists who raced to give us this essential defense. As my colleagues Alice Park and Jamie Ducharme report, “The vaccines that first arrested the spread of COVID-19—and that will almost surely be adjusted to thwart the Omicron variant and future mutations—were never a foregone conclusion. Far from it.”
Just a month after the first patients were treated in a Wuhan hospital, researchers had sequenced the entire genome of the novel coronavirus, which includes 30,000 specific nucleotides. Two weeks later, they had keyed those designs into the beginnings of a vaccine—unlocking “a world that had not even locked down yet.” Corbett, Graham, Kariko and Weissman then achieved a tremendous breakthrough, introducing the mRNA-based technology that will continue to impact our health long after this pandemic ends.
It didn’t happen overnight. The scientists had been working on harnessing messenger RNA, or mRNA, for more than a decade. During the 2000s, they tested mRNA-based vaccines for more than 20 diseases, including norovirus and hepatitis, and found that they were nearly 100% effective in lab animals. Even before the global science community grasped the importance of these discoveries, Corbett, Graham, Kariko and Weissman diligently continued their research, making the case for the promise of mRNA.
In the very early days of the pandemic, when people were paralyzed with fear and uncertainty, the vaccine scientists got to work. “Dr. Graham and I had discussed exactly how we would maneuver in that moment, so once the sequence came out, we knew exactly what we would do,” says Corbett. “We knew where to make the mutations in the spike protein [to stabilize it] and we knew the type of platform we would like to make the vaccine with, which was the mRNA platform with Moderna. So we really had a plan.”
And we, the global citizens, had hope for protection against this scary new virus, as well as comfort that researchers and scientists were prioritizing the common good and trusting in facts.
“What struck me was the fact that while their work contributed to a life-changing vaccine, and they appreciate what that means, they are all humble enough to realize that science is a continuous process, and each of them said they quickly moved on to the next [vaccine target],” Alice told me. “It means finding a way to make us better prepared for the next pandemic using what they learned during this one, and that—rather than their vaccine accomplishment—seemed to get them more excited.”
More than 594 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shipped to various U.S. states as of this afternoon, of which more than 484 million doses have been administered, according to TIME's vaccine tracker. About 60.8% of Americans have been completely vaccinated.
More than 270 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 12 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 5.3 million people have died. On Dec. 12, there were 411,700 new cases and 4,075 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here's every country that has reported over 5 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 49.9 million coronavirus cases as of 12 a.m. E.T. today. More than 797,000 people have died. On Dec. 12, there were 36,818 new cases and 167 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Dec. 13, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
One out of every 100 Americans over 65 has died of the coronavirus, according to a New York Times analysis published today. Seventy-five percent of the virus’s victims have been in this age group, making it by far the most vulnerable to the pandemic’s threat. Even about two years in, more than 1,200 people in the U.S. die of COVID-19 every day on average, and most are ages 65 and up.
The U.K. today reported its first death of a patient with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, per the Wall Street Journal. The person had been diagnosed in the hospital, and it was unclear where they contracted the virus, and even whether it was the cause of death. “We can see Omicron spiking now,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said during a press briefing today. “The idea that this is somehow a milder version of the virus, that is something that we have to set at one side.” More research is needed to determine whether or not Omicron is deadlier than previously circulating variants.
Ghana will fine airlines $3,500 for every passenger who arrives in the West African country without being fully vaccinated, the Associated Press reported today. The fine doesn’t necessarily bar entry; residents who aren’t inoculated will still be permitted to enter and quarantine for 14 days, but foreigners may be refused entry. Ghana, which has some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions in the region, has logged about 132,000 confirmed cases and 1,243 deaths during the pandemic.
Thousands of people protested in Prague on Sunday, pushing back against a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for certain groups, including seniors age 60 and over, medical professionals and firefighters. Despite a police request to do so, those marching did not wear masks or practice social-distancing. At least one person was detained, according to the Associated Press. The mandate is set to go into effect in March.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Angela Haupt and edited by Mandy Oaklander.
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