[앵커]
Pfizer and Biontech have started clinical trials for a vaccine for Omicron.
It is interesting to see if they can keep up with their March release plan.
Reporter Ho Jun-seok reports.
[기자]
Pfizer of the United States, which has jointly developed a COVID-19 vaccine, and Biontech of Germany, have started a clinical trial of inoculating 1,420 people with the vaccine for Omicron, which began production two weeks ago.
The safety and efficacy are tested by inoculating the vaccine for Omicron into three groups: the first and second inoculations, booster shots, that is, those who have completed the booster vaccination, and those who have not been vaccinated.
The goal of the new vaccine is to prevent Omicron to the same level as previous mutations, such as delta, and to have long-lasting effects.
Biontech has announced that it will be able to supply Omicron vaccine to the market by March once the authorities have approved it, so if the clinical trial goes well, it is likely that the vaccine will be available in a month or two.
On the other hand, there are also movements to significantly ease quarantine measures, considering that the risk of Omicron is low.
The Danish government will announce the lifting of all COVID-19 quarantine measures soon, local daily Wallans-Posten reported.
In Denmark, with a population of 5.83 million, there are over 40,000 new cases per day, but the number of critically ill patients has decreased rapidly to only 43.
In the Netherlands, with a population of 17 million, there are more than 50,000 new confirmed cases a day, but as the number of critically ill patients has decreased to 200, the lockdown measures that have closed restaurants, bars and theaters have been greatly eased.
[와파 엘사드르 / 미 콜롬비아대 교수 : 오미크론 확진자의 폭발적 급증을 포화상태까지 겪은 나라들은 어느 순간부터 확진자가 급감하는 공통적 현상을 경험하게 될 것으로 봅니다.]
Experts, however, pointed out that the with Corona is more likely to become a daily routine in the future rather than a complete end of Corona, and for now, basic rules such as wearing a mask should be followed.
This is YTN Ho Jun-seok.
YTN Ho Jun-seok (junes@ytn.co.kr)
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