The world waits for a coronavirus vaccine. But this isn’t the first time it’s taken a little longer than ideal.

For nearly forty years, scientists have searched for a vaccine for HIV, the virus behind the AIDS epidemic. Although they’re still searching, drugs, treatment and technology have made an HIV diagnosis a little better. The good news is that coronavirus shares more in common with other viruses than a devious trickster like HIV... and it all comes down to copying skills.

Written and reported by Brenna Biggs.

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   Picheta, R. What happens if a coronavirus vaccine is never developed? It has happened before. CNN Health (2020).

   
   
   
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   Bazell, R. Finding the way again after failed AIDS vaccine. NBC News (2007).

   
   
   
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   Ries, J. COVID-19 Will Mutate — What That Means for a Vaccine. Healthline (2020).