SEATTLE, Wash. (NBC) – Testing for an experimental coronavirus vaccine is officially underway in the U.S.
The phase 1 clinical trial began Monday at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle.
The trial involves a total of 45 volunteers who will be given two doses of the potential vaccine called “MRNA-1273”.
The first dose was administrated to the first person on March 16.
Even if the trial goes well, experts say a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for at least a year.
So far, there are over 4,000 cases in the U.S. and at least 69 deaths.
Scientists say the shots do not contain the virus, so the volunteers will not get infected with COVID-19 as a result of the trial.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.