By: Srija Banerjee
May 28 2020
Although there is no proven link yet, the BCG vaccine is being studied to see if it can help reduce the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms.
Although there is no proven link yet, the BCG vaccine is being studied to see if it can help reduce the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms.Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) vaccine that has been used for almost 100 years to prevent tuberculosis, is now being studied in clinical trials against COVID-19. Given that a vaccine for the novel coronavirus is at least a year away, the World Health Organization(WHO) claimed that it is essential to understand if the BCG vaccine can reduce symptoms in those who have contracted COVID-19. WHO is encouraging international groups to collaborate with a study led by Nigel Curtis, head of infectious diseases research at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne. They hope that the BCG vaccine boosts the immune system to fight a whole range of viruses and bacteria in a more generalized way. Although Dr Curtis believes there is a strong possible link he still said he couldn't guarantee that this would work and the only way to find out is with their trial. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.