Since the end of 2019, the world has been fighting the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARSCoV -2¹.This pandemic inspired significant efforts for the development of diagnostic tests, therapeutics and vaccines.^2,3,4 As a result, multiple efficacious COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and authorized in record speed5 and are playing a critical role to provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and to eventually put the pandemic under control.^6-10

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References

1. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Accessed August 19, 2021. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

2. Gitman MR, Shaban MV, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Sordillo EM. Laboratory diagnosis of SARSCoV-2 pneumonia. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(7):1270. doi:10.3390/diagnostics11071270

3. Marei HE, Althani A, Afifi N, et al. Pandemic COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2: genetic structure, vaccination, and therapeutic approaches. Mol Biol Rep. 2021. doi:10.1007/s11033-021-06630-4

4. National Institutes for Health. Therapeutic management of hospitalized adults with COVID-19. Accessed August 19, 2021. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/management/clinical-management/hospitalized-adults--therapeutic-management/

5. Heinz FX, Stiasny K. Distinguishing features of current COVID-19 vaccines: knowns and unknowns of antigen presentation and modes of action. NPJ Vaccines. 2021;6(1):104. doi:10.1038/s41541-021-00369-6

6. Thompson MG, Burgess JL, Naleway AL, et al. Prevention and attenuation of COVID-19 with the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines. N Engl J Med. 2021;385:320-329. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107058

7. Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Essink B, et al. Efficacy and safety of the mRNA-1273 SARSCoV-2 vaccine. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:403-416. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2035389

8. Polack FP, Thomas SJ, Kitchin N, et al. Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:2603-2615. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2034577

9. Kumar S, Saurabh MK, Maharshi V. Efficacy and safety of potential vaccine candidates against coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review. J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2021;12(3):215-221. doi:10.4103/japtr.JAPTR_229_20

10. Puranik A, Lenehan PJ, Silvert E, et al. Comparison of two highly-effective mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 during periods of Alpha and Delta variant prevalence. medRxiv. [Preprint]. 2021:2021.08.06.21261707. doi:10.1101/2021.08.06.21261707