Initial manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine will take place in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the first healthy volunteers in the U.S. and Germany have been injected as part of the clinical trial.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release, “This is great news for our families, our neighbors, and those serving on the front lines during this crisis. COVID-19 has shown how vulnerable our country is when it comes to supply chain and much of the lifesaving materials we need are manufactured out of the country. That’s why we are so proud that one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the world is the Pfizer site right here in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In fact, Michigan has a strong history of vaccine development with the polio and anthrax vaccines. Pfizer is a great partner and the State of Michigan and our strong manufacturing roots stand ready to serve.”
Even though there is limited knowledge about how immunity works with COVID-19, researchers are moving forward using information about other coronaviruses and research on how antibodies neutralize viruses. Pfizer is testing more than one version of the vaccine to determine safety and immune response.
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
