13 July 2020
HealthDay Reports: Evidence Mounts That TB Vaccine Might Help Protect Against COVID-19
BCG vaccines have been shown to provide broad protection for several viral respiratory illnesses in addition to tuberculosis.
Evidence Mounts That TB Vaccine Might Help Protect Against COVID-19
MONDAY, July 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A tuberculosis vaccine may help reduce the risk of death from COVID-19, researchers suggest.
Developing countries have lower-than-expected COVID-19 death rates, and a TB vaccine given in countries with high rates of tuberculosis might play a significant role in reducing COVID-19 death rates, according to authors of a new study.
The vaccine, which is routinely given to children in countries where TB infection is common, is called Bacille Calmette-Guérin, or BCG for short. It is not widely used in the United States.