The Vaccine Concept In Contagion Is Contagious
This is yet another movie that hits close to home. In Contagion, the CDC works to find a cure for a worldwide epidemic. In a lot of ways, the science of the movie was accurate, but it’s surprising how quickly scientists create a brand-new vaccine. As we’ve seen with many other viruses, it takes many months and years to create a vaccine, if we even get that far. We have a vaccine for COVID, but not a vaccine for HIV. The movie creates a false expectation as to what can be done with science and is misleading in terms of viruses. According to the History of Vaccines, it can take anywhere from 10-15 years to develop a successful vaccine. Before a virologist released a vaccine to the public, it goes through a series of tests, including the pre-clinical stage and several phases. Developing a proper vaccine in three hours is something we can only wish for (Stat News).