The focus of this study was to develop a recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike vaccine that induces SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies and provides protection against SARS-CoV-2. Yahalom-Rone et al. used a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) platform where the VSV G protein was replaced with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccine was generated in BHK-21 cells via infection with MVA-T7, cotransfection with VSV-ΔG-spike and VSV accessory plasmids followed by passaging in Vero E6 cells. After several passages, the authors observed increased plaque formation, three spike mutations and antigenic similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and rVSV-ΔG-spike which confirmed the replacement of VSV G protein with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The authors then evaluated the effects of a single dose of the vaccine in an in vivo SARS-CoV-2 hamster model. Doses ranging from 104 to 108 pfu of the vaccine were tested, and hamsters showed no sign of morbidity after vaccination, indicating vaccine safety. All doses elicited a neutralization response against SARS-CoV-2 and reduced viral titers when delivered intramuscularly in COVID-19 hamster models. Further verification of vaccine efficacy was carried out by reinfecting vaccinated hamsters with SARS-CoV-2, these vaccinated hamsters showed mild weight loss and significantly low viral titers followed by an instant recovery when compared to the control model (unvaccinated hamsters). Antibody isotype analysis also showed that the vaccine induces a Th1 (T helper type 1) immune response which further highlights its safety and efficacy.