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This week, the very first vaccine trials to be piloted in South Africa for the novel coronavirus, were unveiled. Here’s what you should know:
- The vaccine is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and it’s being piloted in SA and Brazil.
- It was developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University with the participation of Wits University.
- The trial is funded by the Bill Gates Foundation through its partnership with the South African Medical Research Council.
- The vaccine is one of some 200 vaccines being developed for COVID-19 around the world.
- None of the tests will be conducted on children or pregnant women.
- The trials will be conducted on 2000 participants in SA. The first and last group of 50 participants respectively, are HIV positive.
- The vaccine uses genetic material called Spike glycoprotein which is commonly found on the surface of the novel coronavirus.
- The study was approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPR) and Wits University’s Human Research Ethics Committee.
- Wits University’s Dean of Sciences and vaccinology professor Shabir Madhi is the lead investigator for the trials.
- The first trial was conducted on June 24 and effectiveness will be determined after over 40 cases are identified, a process expected to be concluded by March 2021.
