[spotlight] If the world had forgotten the importance of vaccines, COVID-19 has served as a stark reminder. Less than a year after the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), over a hundred vaccine candidates are under development and several large clinical trials are already under way, including some in South Africa. It is plausible that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will be available within the next year or two, although only time and properly conducted trials will tell.