AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine triggers immune response in older people

Vials of vaccine
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Early-stage trials indicated that British drug maker AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, which it is developing with the University of Oxford, was safe and effective, according to results published Thursday in The Lancet, a top medical journal. The study of 560 healthy adults found that the vaccine produced a similar immune response in all adults, meaning it could protect older people who face a "significant risk" of developing a severe illness if they are infected with the coronavirus.

"We hope that this means our vaccine will help to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society," said Dr. Maheshi Ramasamy, a co-author of the study at the University of Oxford, "but further research will be needed before we can be sure."

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