University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial participant shares details about the test

If not for the current health crisis, clinical trials for vaccines normally take longer. This is understandable given the risks involved and the length of research involved. However, due to the fact wherein the highly contagious nature of SARS-CoV-2 puts people at risk, exceptions need to be made. Hence, government and public health officials are coordinating with medical experts to approve potential COVID-19 vaccine trials. In the U.K., the University of Oxford was reportedly given the green signal to begin testing.

In a report published by the Mirror, a group of 510 healthy individuals with ages ranging from 18 to 55 have volunteered to test the vaccine. Just like any medical testing process, some participants will receive the COVID-19 vaccine while others will get a control injection. All have been properly briefed and made aware of the possible risks, but it appears that no one has backed out.

The University of Oxford is slated to begin the vaccine trials a week from now. Lydia Guthrie, one of the volunteers, shared some insight regarding the process: "They're really clear with us that as participants we can pull out at any time if we change our minds." She added, "I will receive either the new COVID-19 vaccine which they're trialling or I will receive a meningitis vaccine which is in quite wide use at the moment. That is what the control group are receiving."

According to Guthrie, they were instructed to record anything they experience or observe for the duration of the trial. If there are any symptoms that manifest related to the coronavirus infection, the team handling should be able to take action immediately. "I guess when I saw the advert looking for participants it felt to me like a small contribution I can make to this team of over 500 participants and scientists and clinicians working hard together to develop a vaccine," she stated.

Meanwhile, the researchers are hoping that if the COVID-19 vaccine trials show promise, the results will be published a few months after the tests conclude. If the outcome is favourable, the next step would be to mass-produce the drug and distribute it to healthcare systems.