COVID-19 Vaccines: A Comprehensive Review of Development, Action Mechanisms, and Global Implications

Abstract

The fast spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus pandemic virus, across the world presents a significant population health dilemma. Various protective measures were adopted to address this worldwide health crisis, and among those, the production of vaccines is of paramount importance. This review focuses on the prominent vaccines developed against the pandemic virus during the ongoing worldwide outbreak. The mechanisms of action for each vaccine resemble that of Pfizer's comirnaty in the United States of America, Moderna vaccine in the United States of America, and AstraZeneca's adenovirus-based vaccine developed by the UK's Oxford-based university. The demand for vaccines to counter pandemic corona virus, the pathogen behind COVID-19, is imperative. These vaccines, including those from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca, are poised to play a pivotal role in addressing the urgent global need. This review seeks to offer an allencompassing perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its epidemiology, transmission, advancements in treatment, vaccines, as well as the genetic variability and life cycle of the pandemic coronavirus, relying on the latest research in conjunction with available data.