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  6.  » Hopes of a million coronavirus vaccines by September as human trials start next week

Anna Macswan – Daily Mirror April 18, 2020

Scientists are hopeful that a million doses of a vaccine for Covid-19 could be available by September.

The first human trials of a jab which is being developed at the University of Oxford are set to begin next week.

Although it is too early to say if it will be safe or effective, Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the research, has previously said she is 80% confident it will be successful.

“This is my view, because I’ve worked with this technology a lot, and I’ve worked on the Mers-vaccine trials, and I’ve seen what that can do,” the vaccinology professor said.

“I think it has a very strong chance of working.”

A total of 500 volunteers aged between 18 and 55 have been recruited to take part in early and mid-stage trials.

Testing will later be carried out among older adults, before a final stage trial with 5,000 people.

Although scientists worldwide are racing to develop a jab which can offer protection against coronavirus, the Oxford vaccine is one of the first to reach clinical trial.

The BBC reports that the team have managed to get ahead by creating a genetically engineered chimpanzee virus, which is the basis for their vaccine, before the Covid-19 pandemic began.

They hope that by combining it with parts of the new coronavirus, they can create a “safe” virus that will teach the immune system to fight the deadly bug.

Funding from the UK government means plans are already being put in place to mass produce a million doses of the vaccine, which is believed to be the only long-term way to end lockdown measures.

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