HUMAN TRIALS OF COVID-19 VACCINE TO START IN UNITED KINGDOM

On Wednesday, Britain’s Secretary of state for health and social care, Matt Hancock confirmed that clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine will go ahead on humans in Oxford on Thursday. The United Kingdom has gone forward with plans of using human volunteers to try out the vaccine. The UK scientists will soon start taking in volunteers for the trials which is set to start in June. According to Johns Hopkins university the virus has infected 2.5 million and killed 177,000 people world wide. This is going to be the fourth trial globally in taking a shot against covid-19. The British health Secretary pledged 22.5 million pounds in the fight against covid-19. The vaccine to be tested was developed in the university of Oxford. The Oxford university scientist experimental vaccine is called “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19”. If the trial proves successful more vaccines will be prepared. The 22.5 million pounds are to fund the researchers at Imperial college while the 20 million pounds is the fund the Oxford team both in London.

- Advertisement -

Mr. Hancock said “I’m certain that we will throw everything we have got at developing a vaccine”. He also added that “the best way to defeat coronavirus is through a vaccine.” The trial which is named Phase 0 trials will be connected by giving small doses of the vaccine to a group of 10 to 15 people. The doses will v small in order to make sure they don’t have any effects on humans. It is, after this phase that phase I to IV will be tried out. The trials will take place on coronavirus victims between the age if 18 and 55 and is expected to last six months.

Prof. Sarah Gilbert, leader of the Oxford team said a vaccine could be ready by Autumn for general use. Germany is also going ahead with plans of human trials just like UK. Their vaccine was developed by BioNTech and PfiZer. The trials was given approval by the Paul Ehrlich institute in Germany. The vaccine is called BNT162. The vaccine in Germany has also been planned to be taken to the US once any improvement shows in the victims.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Latest article