WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Two new COVID-19 vaccine trials could be close to applying for government approval and potentially opening up millions of doses to a strained vaccine supply system.
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"I would say that should happen in the incoming weeks, not months and months from now, hopefully, a few weeks from now," said Dr. Larry Bush, the lead investigator in the AstraZeneca trial in Palm Beach County.
Day 57 for me in the COVID19 vaccine trial. Simple visit with a blood test for antibodies. Efforts to get a third and even fourth vaccine approved in the US could be close. pic.twitter.com/h3yDvnaQxZ
— Matt Sczesny WPTV (@WPTVMatt) January 25, 2021
The trial, which has 30,000 participants nationwide, is now closed, meaning as soon as the last patients receive the second shot, data will be collected and possibly presented to the FDA.
Johnson & Johnson's vaccine trial, a single shot dose, is also reported to be near an end, meaning their vaccine could also be up for approval soon.
"Anything that's going to prove to be efficacious, the FDA feels the benefit outweighs the risk should be used, and that will really open the supply line,” Bush said.
Currently, Pfizer and Moderna have the only COVID-19 vaccines approved in the U.S., and supplies to the states are already reported to be low with high demand.
Johnson & Johnson also has a two-shot vaccine entering a trial. Anyone interested in volunteering in Palm Beach County is asked to call 561-770-7370.