Coronavirus vaccine trials in the UK have restarted

CORONAVIRUS vaccine trials in the UK have restarted after the University of Oxford completed a full analysis into the health issue suffered by the trial participant.

The vaccine trials were temporarily halted on Sunday after a suspicious spinal cord inflammation was detected in one of the participants.

It is normal for clinical trials to be halted when issues arise to ensure the safety and validity of the trials for the participants involved and to ensure the safety of the potential vaccine for future use.

The University of Oxford has announced that it is recommencing the trials after the participant suffered a spinal cord inflammation. Researchers said, “it is to be expected that some are unwell, and each case must be carefully analysed to guarantee safety.”

The experimental vaccine, which is made from an adenovirus related to the common cold in chimpanzees, is modified via genetic methods with information stored in the new coronavirus strain.

The hope is the vaccine will allow the human body to “train” itself to deal with the coronavirus after inoculation.

The pause in the clinical trials occurred at the beginning of September after the institution and its partner, the British pharmacist AstraZeneca, deemed it necessary to ensure a full review of the issue could take place.

An independent review of the participants illness was carried out to review whether the issue was directly linked to the trial vaccine. However, it has been ascertained that this is not the case and that trials are safe to continue.

Currently the trial is a global attempt with participants receiving either the vaccine trial or a placebo in the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa and the United States.

The University of Oxford has not expanded on the information regarding the participants condition, stating, “for reasons of confidentiality” they cannot disclose further information at this time.

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Chris Kidd

Chris has spent a colourful and varied international career in the Arts followed by a substantial career in Education. Having moved to Spain in 2019 for a different pace and quality of life with his fiancé, he has now taken up a new and exciting role working with the online department of Euro Weekly News. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

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