Scientists Working on Potential 'RNA Vaccine' for Coronavirus

There are dozens of efforts underway to make a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Some are using traditional methods, which use killed or weakened versions of all or part of the virus to get the immune system ready to fight. In this video from PBS, scientists including immunobiologist Akiko Iwasaki from Yale School of Medicine, biochemist Rhiju Das from Stanford School of Medicine, and virologist Angela Rasmussen from Columbia School of Public Health discuss the process behind using RNA to create a coronavirus vaccine. They say it could allow for even faster turnaround in developing and testing and then deploying the vaccine. The coronavirus’ RNA codes for at least 24 proteins, including its spike protein, which covers the exterior.