Volunteers sought for Covid vaccine trial in Wrexham

Health boards across Wales are preparing for a mass immunisation programme if a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available

Volunteers are needed to take part in a clinical trial of a vaccine against Covid-19 in north Wales.

Preliminary testing has been completed and showed promising initial results on antibody levels in healthy volunteers.

It will now be tested on 9,000 volunteers across 18 regions around the UK including Wrexham.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and Public Health Wales was people aged 18 to 84 who live within a 30-mile radius of the town.

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The study will involve volunteers making six visits to Wrexham Maelor Hospital over about 13 months.

Dr Orod Osanlou, principal investigator for the Novavax trial, said: "The vaccine has undergone phase I and phase II testing already which has shown that it is safe and I would encourage people close to Wrexham to consider taking part in the study."

Prof Kieran Walshe, director of Health and Care Research Wales, which is coordinating the research, added: "Research is absolutely vital to find new treatments for COVID-19, and a vaccine is the ultimate goal."