Call for Welshpool residents to take part in Covid-19 vaccine trial

Residents in the Welshpool area and across North Powys are being invited to take part in a Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial based in Wrexham.

The call was made on the Powys Teaching Health Board’s (PTHB) official Twitter page this morning, sharing the Public Health Wales post that launched the recruitment drive for ‘Wrexham to support UK trial for Covid-19 vaccine’.

Public Health Wales stated that they are looking for “healthy volunteers aged 18-84 years old to take part in a Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial involving six visits over approximately one year”.

PTHB re-tweeted adding “North Powys residents may be interested in this clinical trial”.

The site says that participants will:

• Receive the study vaccine (the investigational vaccine or placebo, and possibly the seasonal flu vaccine) at no cost
• There will be two visits for injections: one on the first day, and one three weeks after.
• Trial-related tests include physical examinations, Covid-19 testing, and blood and urine samples.
• You will participate for up to 56 weeks and have six visits at the clinic.
• You will receive reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses.
• You may leave the study at any time.

Participants will be split into two groups. One group will receive the investigational vaccine, while the other group will receive a placebo injection.

A “placebo” injection means that the injection looks just like the investigational vaccine, but has no medical benefit.

Some participants will also receive a seasonal flu vaccine, already approved for the general public. This is to make sure that if the investigational vaccine is also approved, these two can be safely and effectively given close to each other—or even at the same time.

One of the two reasons for doing the tests, Public Health Wales says, is to see if the vaccine is “safe for humans”.

Some commentators have voiced concern that the rapid introduction of a vaccine could be dangerous, but others feel we won’t be able to return to normal life until the vaccine is readily available. 

To find out more and to take the eligibility questionnaire, visit http://ow.ly/2yFf50C3YNo