A COVID vaccine trial is looking for volunteers from Swindon.

Great Western Hospital’s Dr Hamish Breach, who is part of the effort to recruit volunteers from across the region to receive the Janssen vaccine, said researchers were particularly keen to hear from young people and those from ethnic minorities.

Would-be volunteers will have to register their interest as soon as possible – the jabs are due to be given at a Bristol hospital on January 23 and 24.

Urging people to sign up to take part in the study, Dr Breach told the Adver: “The limiting step to solving the global pandemic is the supply – physical, actual bottles of ampules of vaccine. The more types of vaccine we have available the better.”

The call comes as a network of mass-vaccination sites open across the country today. Bristol City FC’s Ashton Gate stadium has been roped into the mass effort, which the government hopes will result in 14m people being offered inoculations by mid-February. 

Three vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna and researchers from Oxford University and AstraZeneca have so far been approved for use by the UK authorities.

Dr Breach said the Janssen jab worked in a similar way to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, with a modified version of the Covid-19 virus used to prompt the immune system to develop antibodies.

The Janssen vaccine was based on an Ebola jab given the go-ahead by the European Union last year. “Whilst the Covid-19 vaccine is new it is actually a modification of something that is actually proven to be effective with Ebola, which is another reason why it’s been developed more quickly. The Ebola vaccine took years to get to that point.”

Although given in a single dose in trials in the United States last year, the vaccine was designed to be given in two doses. Volunteers for the trial will be given the first dose at a Bristol hospital later this month and asked to give researchers daily progress updates. Doctors at GWH will support anyone who suffers side effects. The second dose will be given later in the year. The study lasts two years.

Volunteers on the study will do their bit to help with the fight against covid. Dr Breach said: “The bottom line is that we need as many different types of vaccine available. As you can see at the moment, I think there’s a clamour from people lining up to be vaccinated. The issue at the moment is there isn’t enough vaccine to give. The more choice of vaccines – actual product – that we have available, the quicker we will be able to vaccinate the whole country and indeed the rest of the world.”

To register your interest, visit: www.findacoronavaccine.com.