SA’s first vaccine trial for Covid-19 underway

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) held a virtual press conference today to announce the first clinical trial for a vaccine against Covid-19 which will begin this week.

Participants for the South African Oxford 1 Covid-19 vaccine trial were screened last week and the first participants will be vaccinated this week.

The South African Ox1COV-19 vaccine VIDA- Trial aims to find a vaccine that will prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Leading the South African Ox1COV-19 vaccine VIDA- Trial is Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University and Director of the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA).

Wits University is working together with the University of Oxford and the Oxford Jenner Institute on the South African Trial

“This is a landmark moment for South Africa and Africa at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we enter winter in South Africa and pressure increases on public hospitals, now more than ever we need a vaccine to prevent infection by Covid-19,” said Madhi