Medicine

Trials of all three vaccines came up with different efficacy numbers, but all offer crucial protection in this health emergency

Trusted messengers and repeated reminders can overcome hesitancy, social science shows

Scientific American talked to scientists about everything from what efficacy means to protection against the new coronavirus variants

Vaccine makers are designing follow-up shots based on new mutations to keep the disease at bay

As more coronavirus vaccines are rolled out, researchers are learning about the extent and nature of side effects

Antibiotics abound, but virus-fighting drugs are harder to come by. Fortunately, scientists are getting better at making and finding them

Some evidence indicates that short waits are safe, but there is a chance that partial immunization could help risky new coronavirus variants to develop

The scantness of available data leaves the decision up to the individual and their doctors, though benefits can outweigh risks in some cases

It will not be an easy task

After Pfizer and Moderna, a slew of other candidates could fill gaps in efficacy, production or distribution

Lessons from other viruses show that even if vaccines don’t completely stop disease spread, they can still successfully contain it

With a vaccine in limited availability, many still need medicines to keep the virus at bay