Coronavirus vaccine: Professor behind trial tells James O'Brien what happens next
23 April 2020, 12:31
Professor behind coronavirus vaccine explains what happens next with trials
James O'Brien spoke to the professor behind the Oxford University trials for a coronavirus vaccine - and the conversation cheered him up more than any since this crisis began.
Human trials for a coronavirus vaccine start today - and at the time that the Chief Medical Officer warned that social distancing guidelines may last until the end of the year, the public's hope for a vaccine got even more keen.
Dr Catherine Green is an Associate Professor who is part of the team behind the programme to create a vaccine.
She told James that creating vaccines is a slow process, but they are working as fast as they can.
She said: "I would say quite honestly we have surpassed ourselves and are doing absolutely everything we can to get a vaccine made, trialled, proved to be safe and to the public as quickly as possible.
"Scientists are all coming together in a broad collaborative effort."
Revealing that the vaccine they have created will be put into the first volunteer in Oxford this afternoon, she said: "This is the fastest we've ever made a vaccine. We've been doing this for 20 years and we've never managed to turn it around this quickly.
They are looking for volunteers for the vaccine trial. If you are 18-55, healthy and haven't had coronavirus, then see their website for full details.
After hearing the work of the vaccine team, James said: "I've spoken to hundreds of people since this nightmare started and out of all of them, you're the one who's cheered me up the most."
Hear the call in full at the top of the page.
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