Vaccines for SARS-CoV-2: How have they changed the landscape of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has brought about huge disruptions to our lives. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and manufactured in a record timeframe. The use of COVID-19 vaccines has mitigated morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 to a large extent. This happened because these vaccines have been able to elicit immune memory and longstanding cell-mediated immunity in vaccinated individuals. Vaccine hesitancy and unequitable distribution of vaccines have been the two stumbling blocks to widespread vaccination of populations. As SARS-CoV-2 seems to enter endemic phase, there is need for vaccines administered through respiratory route, which hopefully would elicit mucosal immunity and sterilizing immunity eventually stopping interhuman transmission of the virus.