Groundbreaking research is working on a new vaccine that could change how the medical community handles the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scientists in San Antonio, Texas, are creating an entirely new type of COVID-19 vaccine that could eliminate the need for boosters in the future, KSAT reported Monday.

“We know the virus is like a ball with spikes on it,” said Dr. Sherwyn Schwartz, adding that the current vaccines target the spikes on the virus.

Schwartz’s team at Endeavor Clinical Trials in San Antonio is one of the 10 locations hosting clinical trials of a new type of vaccine for COVID-19 infections.

Instead of the spikes, the new vaccine would be targeting the ball itself to prevent mutation in the body.

“This is going to be a mechanism of action going after the ball, and the ball doesn’t mutate as much. If this vaccine is going to work and not be affected by mutations, my gosh, we won’t have to take one every year,” he told the news outlet.

According to Schwartz, this could make it possible for everyone to get boosters every two or three years. But he is hopeful that the boosters could ultimately become a “one and done” thing.

Clinical trials for the vaccine will commence in two weeks, so Schwartz and his team are eager to get participants onboard.

The volunteers they are looking for should be aged between 18 and 55 and must have had three mRNA vaccine shots from Moderna or Pfizer before entering the trial.

Participants should also be healthy and free from underlying conditions, with Schwartz saying, “We want to be sure that you don’t have an underlying illness that’s going to act like a side effect of the vaccine.”

Trial participants will be compensated for their time and transportation since they stay in the clinic for a few hours after receiving the shot for monitoring.

Schwartz said that if phase one becomes a success, they will move forward with phases two and three, and the people of San Antonio would be the first to gain access to the vaccine.

Those interested in the clinical trials can sign up online via this site, or simply call (210) 880-9440.

Based on the updated statistics presented by The New York Times, the United States has recorded a total of 97.3 million cases and 1.07 million deaths due to COVID-19 thus far.

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