Think Coronavirus vaccine efforts are new? Think again by MICA

This piece was inspired by the many friends, acquaintances, and colleagues I have spoken to over the last 12-18 months about the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines. As an Epidemiologist at CDC, and a public health emergency responder, I am often asked many questions about pandemics and public health emergencies. The politics around the science of vaccines was pervasive, and I often had to explain to people that Covid-19 vaccines were safe and that they were not necessarily 'new'. I thought a timeline of coronavirus outbreaks since SARS, and respective vaccine research and efforts would be useful in contributing to the evidence base and answering people's questions.