Claim: A hantavirus vaccine was already in development before COVID hit

The claim that a hantavirus vaccine was already in development before COVID hit is mostly true. Evidence indicates that efforts to develop hantavirus vaccines have been ongoing since at least the 1990s, with various candidates in clinical trials prior to the pandemic. Support for this claim comes from reputable sources detailing the history of hantavirus vaccine research. However, some may dispute this by arguing that the focus and urgency of vaccine development significantly increased due to COVID-19, overshadowing earlier efforts. The graders agree on direction, but vary in strength. Gemini comes in highest (100%), while OpenAI is lowest (85%). While the evidence strongly supports that hantavirus vaccine development was underway before COVID-19, the lack of specific timelines and details about the progress of these efforts introduces some uncertainty. Opposing sources might argue that the pre-COVID developments were not as advanced or prioritized as those that emerged in response to the pandemic. This does not negate the existence of prior research but highlights the varying degrees of commitment and focus on hantavirus vaccines compared to the urgency brought by COVID-19.