(CNN) A vaccine to prevent coronavirus may be months or even years away, but a team of researchers in the United States say an everyday vaccine that is available now might be used to help prevent the worst effects of coronavirus infection. They're proposing giving a booster dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to people to see if it ramps up immunity in general, perhaps helping prevent some of the most severe effects of Covid-19. Their thinking: The MMR vaccine is known to protect kids against infections that go far beyond the three viruses targeted by the vaccine. The MMR vaccine is what's known as a live vaccine. It uses highly weakened, or attenuated, versions of the measles, mumps and rubella viruses to produce immune protection without making people sick.

Source: CNN June 19, 2020 13:52 UTC