As the world battles COVID-19, scientists are racing to develop a vaccine. 

According to the World Health Organization, 70 COVID-19 vaccines are in development around the world. 

Three of those potential vaccines are being tested on humans.

In China, CanSino Biological Inc and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology are conducting a Phase II vaccine trial. 

Phase I focused on safety, while Phase II focuses on efficacy. The second phase has more participants and will use a placebo group. Trials are taking place in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak began.

In the U.S., the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the biotech company Moderna have created a potential vaccine that is being tested in humans. With that vaccine, Jennifer Halle became the first person in the world to be given a potential COVID-19 vaccine. 

U.S. company Inovio Pharmaceuticals is also conducting human trials and is working with Chinese researchers to begin a study with the drug in China. 

Scientists hope to have a safe and effective vaccine within the next year to year-and-a-half. 

The licensing process can takes about 10 to 15 years, or longer. 

Based on the COVID-19 genome sequence provided by China, scientists know the virus shares 79% of the same genetic material as SARS and 50% of the same material as MERS.

Scientists say they can use research from SARS and MERS to help create a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Vaccine testing usually begins in animals. At least one company has skipped testing in animals, while others conducted human and animal testing simultaneously. 

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