Scientists in Cape Town, South Africa have created their own lab in and attempt to recreate the COVID-19 vaccine.
The goal is to reverse engineer the Moderna vaccine to vaccinate the poorer populations that have little or no access to the vaccine.
The World Health Organization is supporting them in their attempts, despite some questions remaining over intellectual property.
Scientists are attempting to use public information and data on the Moderna vaccine to recreate it because the country can no longer rely on the powerful companies to provide them a vaccine as the global pandemic continues.
Martin Friede, a WHO vaccine research coordinator said this is the first time they are this involved in research like this due to the level of urgency.
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The U.N. created a plan called COVAX that would help supply countries in need with vaccines, as well as called on wealthier countries to donate. None of this has happened and the WHO is doing this is a last resort.
Moderna originally said they would build a factory in Africa, but the country doesn’t want to wait any longer.
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