Covid-19: 'Hope' encouraged Newcastle vaccine volunteer to take part

Faye Wilson says she was "ecstatic" about being part of the successful vaccine trial

A woman who took part in a Covid-19 vaccine trial has said she volunteered due to the "hope" it offered.

Faye Wilson was part of the programme led by Newcastle Hospitals, which has helped the Oxford coronavirus study.

The vaccine has been shown to be highly effective at stopping people developing symptoms, according to a large trial.

Ms Wilson, 72, and from Morpeth in Northumberland, said it was an "incredible privilege" to have played a "tiny part" in delivering it.

In total the North East recruited the third-highest number of participants in the UK for the study.

'Hang on'

Ms Wilson said she was "ecstatic" about being part of it.

"I think through all of this, what people have been able to hang on to is some hope and some light at the end of the tunnel," she said.

"For me, it was around hope and around knowing there was a way out, and to be part of contributing to that hope and be part, a tiny part of delivering it, has been an incredible privilege."

Ms Wilson, who has lost friends to coronavirus, encouraged people to think to the future but remember the present threat of the pandemic.

"At the moment it's a really difficult time because it's not there yet and people are frightened and tired and want to change things," she added.

"If we don't hold on and hold on to what we are doing, every death will be wasted because we can get there and it will make a difference, so these next few months are really, really challenging times for us all.

"But we have got hope and it's there and we need to hang on."

Dr Christopher Duncan, honorary consultant in infectious diseases at Newcastle Hospitals, based at the RVI, said it was great that the region played "such a leading role" in delivering the vaccine.

He added: "It's just fantastic news for all of the team and particularly for everyone that has been working so hard to deliver this trial, and every single day at the moment in the hospital there are lots and lots of patients seriously ill with this devastating disease, and it comes at a time where we really, really need it."