COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. First identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, it quickly spread globally, leading to a pandemic. The name COVID-19 stands for “Coronavirus Disease 2019,” reflecting the year it was first recognized. Symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe and may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure, and death, particularly in older adults and individuals with underlying health conditions. Mitigation measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and vaccination have been implemented worldwide to control the spread of the virus. Vaccines have been developed to prevent COVID-19 and reduce the severity of illness, greatly impacting public health responses and strategies to curb the pandemic’s effects.
BioNTech is pivoting from COVID-19 vaccines to cancer therapies, leveraging mRNA technology. Despite a decline in quarterly profits, Q4 2024 earnings per share (EPS) of 1.08 euros exceeded expectations. The…