The search for a vaccine for the Zika virus is now on in earnest. Zika is a disease linked to fetal malformations including Microcephaly and neurological disorders like Guillain-Barré syndrome. These debilitating effects of the virus have propelled scientists to fast-track clinical trials of a Zika vaccine. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recently launched its Phase 1 clinical trial of a DNA vaccine against the Zika virus.

These vaccines would have gone through animal testing prior to this stage of involving healthy human subjects. This phase of the trials will determine side effects and their severity, if any, in addition to determining the efficacy of the vaccine. If the Phase 1 vaccine results are encouraging, the next step is a Phase 2 clinical trial to take place in countries with ongoing Zika outbreaks. That study could begin early next year.

So far, 80 healthy volunteers have been recruited from Maryland and Georgia in the United States and will receive at least one injection of the vaccine. The first volunteer was given the test vaccine on Tuesday August 2, 2016. Some of the participants will receive a second shot eight or 12 weeks later, while others will receive a second and a third shot four and eight weeks or four and 20 weeks following the first shot. Test subjects will be monitored for two years to determine if the vaccine is safe and if it causes the immune system to make antibodies capable of fighting Zika.

Jamaica was approached by a research team in the US working with the National Institute of Health and expressed an interest in participating in these Zika vaccine clinical trials. The Ministry of Health is awaiting the proposal from the research team to determine the way forward. Jamaica would then comprise some of the study sites along with other areas in the Caribbean and Latin America as part of the overall clinical trials being done.

Vaccines are not new to the world and have proven to be life-saving interventions for many preventable illnesses. Vaccines work by improving immunity to a particular disease. DNA vaccines work if the DNA triggers the production of a substance that, in turn, gets your immune system to make antibodies that attack the virus — in this case the Zika virus.

The success of the vaccine will depend on passing several benchmarks. The vaccine needs to keep test subjects, and ultimately those who will get the vaccine, safe and meet many more Government benchmarks before drug makers bring them to market. The vaccine will also have to meet an extremely high standard of safety for pregnant women or women of child-bearing age.

Although these trials are a major step in achieving a vaccine, we are not out of the woods yet and must continue to be vigilant against mosquito bites. Persons are being urged to continue searching for mosquito breeding sites. Take at least 10 minutes per week to look around your homes, schools, churches and workplaces for potential breeding sites and get rid of them. Everyone is also being urged to use repellents with DEET, use bed nets in conjunction with mesh on doors and window screens, and wear light-coloured clothing.

For more information on the Zika virus, mosquito breeding sites and other related material visit the Ministry of Health’s website at

www.moh.gov.jm