Science's 2020 Breakthrough of the Year: Effective vaccines against COVID-19

For many, 2020 was a year of life suspended, as the novel coronavirus spread rapidly across the planet and forced people indoors--often far apart from their loved ones. But for biomedical researchers on the COVID-19 frontlines, the race to develop a vaccine happened at a blisteringly fast pace. Now, little less than a year after SARS-CoV-2 reared its ugly head, and researchers have achieved their goal. Science has named the rapid development of effective vaccines against COVID-19 as its 2020 breakthrough of the year to honor this feat.

"What a joyous way to end 2020," writes Jon Cohen, a correspondent for Science news. "Never before have so many competitors collaborated so openly and frequently. Never before have so many candidates advanced to large-scale efficacy trials virtually in parallel. And never before have governments, industry, academia, and nonprofits thrown more money, muscle, and brains at the same infectious disease in such short order."

However, the author of the article expressed that the number of vaccine doses will not be enough even for the world's wealthiest countries, at least until spring.

The publication also noted that doubts about drugs, production problems, and supply chain failures could prevent universal vaccination. Also, problems may arise due to mutations of coronavirus infection.