The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford. The vaccine was developed in under three months by a team at Oxford University
Two volunteers were injected out of more than 800 people recruited for the study. Elisa Granato, a scientist, was the first volunteer to be injected and she said she volunteered because she wanted to try to support the scientific process.
Half of those who volunteered will receive the Covid-19 vaccine, and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus.
The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting, though doctors will.
Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute says “Personally I have a high degree of confidence in this vaccine, of course, we have to test it and get data from humans. We have to demonstrate it actually works and stops people getting infected with coronavirus before using the vaccine in the wider population”.
The Coronavirus vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus) from chimpanzees that has been modified so it cannot grow in humans, according to BBC.