This was being discussed on one of the Purdue blogs--in a discussion of whether opening football games to students only, since they're on campus, could make sense.
But the discussion turned to a vaccine and whether one had ever been created for coronavirus. Someone highlighted that there ARE successful vaccines for coronavirus strains in animals.
It reminded me of the fact that when we brought the puppy home at the end of January, Coronavirus was already starting to be talked about, so we asked our vet about it at his first well check appt. She said that they don't really vaccinate dogs for it as the strains they were vaccinating for really died down about a decade ago or so. But it's not like coronavirus vaccines CAN'T exist.
I know work for a SARS vaccine died out because the virus didn't easily transmit so the infections burned out quickly and then disappeared. I think there's been some research into a vaccine for MERS, but it likewise doesn't have NEARLY the worldwide attention or impact that this does.
So... Maybe a vaccine is possible. With that monkey study, and with proven vaccines for coronavirus in dogs, it gives me a little more confidence that there's nothing inherent to a coronavirus that makes them fully resistant to vaccination.
