Vaccines for COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Feasibility and Effectiveness

Abstract

Introduction: Many potential vaccines for COVID-19 are being studied and developed. Several studies have reported on the safety and efficacy of these vaccines. This systematic review aimed to report on the current evidence concerning the feasibility and effectiveness of vaccines for COVID-19.

Methods: A systematic search was carried out utilizing the keywords in the online databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. We included both human and non-human studies because of the vaccine novelty, limiting our ability to include sufficient human studies.

Results: This review showed several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to be currently under development using different platforms, including eight vaccines that are adenovirus-based vectors, six vaccines that are RNA-based formulations, one vaccine being DNA-based formulation, and other vaccines using other platforms, including lipid nanoparticles. Although the safety and efficacy profiles of these vaccines are still under debate, some countries have allowed for emergency use of some vaccines in at-risk populations, such as healthcare workers and the elderly.

Conclusion: It is crucial to gather as much clinically relevant evidence as possible regarding the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety profiles of available vaccines and adhere wisely to CDC protocols and guidelines for vaccine production.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccine; diagnosis; effectiveness; feasibility; immunity; therapy; treatment.