Thread by @ewnreporter

#COVID19 #Vaccine The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine efficacy trial has been rolled out in the Western Cape. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine 8 participants have been enrolled in the study, here in Cape Town, so far. Today people were screened to ascertain if they qualify to be enrolled. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine The international study, that’s also underway at sites in Gauteng, aims to enroll at least two thousand participants. Nationally, 1207 people have been screened so far - 713 were enrolled in the trial. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine Wits University is collaborating with the University of Oxford and the Oxford Jenner Institute on the South African trial. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine 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), leads the South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine The vaccine being used in the South African trial is the same as that being used in the UK and Brazil. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine The vaccine was made by adding genetic material – called spike glycoprotein – that is expressed on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 to the ChAdOx1 virus. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine Preliminary findings of the vaccine trial in the UK found it is safe and participants showed strong antibody and T-cell immune responses. KB

#COVID19 #Vaccine Dr Dave Fredericks is one of the 8 participants enrolled in the study this week. KB Image : Supplied