NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Local researchers at Vanderbilt are working to stop pandemics before they happen.
At the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, they've practiced for pretend pandemics according to associate director Dr. Rob Carnahan. "We did a fake pandemic for Zika, we get Zika from human donors, and we were able to get to validated antibodies in 78 days," Carnahan said.
According to the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center Director Dr. James Crowe, they were practicing for another one when COVID-19 hit. "Right in the middle of our preparation we had to pivot because the people who were funding our work from the U.S. government said covid is here, it’s now, we need you to launch right now," Crowe said.