After witnessing a smooth clinical trial run over the last couple of months, the vaccine by AstraZeneca which is being developed in scientific collaboration with the researchers from the University of Oxford has faced its first hiccup due to safety issues. In line with this move, Serum Institute of India (SII) which was conducting clinical trials of the vaccine in India, on Thursday also put a brake for the time being. Apparently, this obstacle will bring a bit of gloom since it will develop a perception that there might be a reduction of speed in the vaccine making process, causing delay which is just not wanted at the moment. But, strictly in terms of the science of vaccine preparation, this ‘setback’ or any such of the kind in future is not at all a rarity and as AstraZeneca has called it, it’s very much a part of the process.

It needs to be kept in mind that the Oxford vaccine has reached the most-critical stage which is Phase III of clinical trials and the brake has to be applied after a person participating in trials exhibited some illness. Although specific details for the exact causes are still awaited, the break, however, has been welcomed by the medical world. Even if there will now be opportunity for starting the blame-game since the hectic speed in the entire process that led to extreme compression of the entire timeline of the vaccine making process has earned critical reviews, it is a fact that such setbacks are common and are temporary by nature. On the contrary, both AstraZeneca and Oxford need to be praised for not concealing facts and maintaining transparency throughout and most importantly not compromising the safety aspect. It also needs to be taken into account that it’s only one case of negative result from a huge participant base in more than 60 locations across the world. It will thus be against the scientific spirit to construe just a single case as a catastrophe and end of the road. Pausing, reassessing and re-examining are the intrinsic process of any vaccine making and since the current situation is a race against time, such halts can never be ruled out.

The current state of despondency stems from the fact that the level of expectation over the Covid vaccine, particularly the one being prepared by Oxford has skyrocketed and the entire world is looking towards it as the ultimate saviour. No doubt the temporary setback will cause a little delay, but, it’s reassuring that the safety aspect hasn’t been overlooked.

It will matter little if the vaccine makes a late arrival by a few weeks or so. But, if that ensures full-proof safety, it must not be viewed critically.