Microbiologist Elisa Granato, 32, is one of the first people to take part in the UK first human trials coronavirus vaccine. The other is Edward O’Neil a cancer researcher.
The two scientists who volunteered themselves to be the first participants have been injected with the coronavirus vaccine in the UK.
For Ms Granato, who took part in the trial on a special day, her 32nd birthday, said she was ‘excited’ to support the efforts by volunteering. She wanted to make herself ‘useful’ in the fight against the pandemic. She told the BBC: ‘Since I don’t study viruses, I felt a bit useless these days, so I felt like this is a very easy way for me to support the cause.’
They both admit they wanted to help in what could be a groundbreaking solution in the fight against the pandemic.
Mr O’Neill said: ‘It seems like the right thing to do to ensure that we can combat this disease and get over it a lot faster.’
The leading trial team, Professor Sarah Gilbert, said she is optimistic about the vaccine’s chances of success.
University of Oxford researchers administered the first dose on Thursday, while the other person, likely Edward, was given a meningitis vaccine to be used for comparison. The are ‘very optimistic’ it will work –and hope to repeat the process with six more volunteers on Saturday, with more than 1,000 being tested from Monday
Comments are closed.