Cécile van Els interviewed by NRC on the legacy of COVID-19 vaccines

In an interview with NRC, Cécile van Els reflects on the unprecedented development of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. According to Van Els, it was remarkable that safe and effective vaccines became available within just twelve months, whereas vaccine development normally takes many years.

Portret van Cécile van Els, hoogleraar Vaccinologie: Correlaten van Bescherming
Cécile van Els, professor of Vaccinology | Image © Sander Koning

One of the most important legacies of the pandemic is the breakthrough of mRNA vaccine technology. In addition, the vast amount of research conducted worldwide has generated valuable insights into how vaccines work and how they can be improved. In the interview, Van Els highlights three key lessons: 

  1. developing vaccines that provide broader protection against emerging virus variants,

  2. tailoring vaccination strategies more effectively to individual differences in immune responses, 

  3. and maintaining the international research networks that were established during the pandemic.

Tackling existing infectious diseases

According to Van Els, these lessons are not only relevant for future pandemics but also for tackling existing infectious diseases. The ambition within the field is to accelerate vaccine development even further in the years ahead.

Read the full interview on the NRC website. (in Dutch)