Aussie is one of first to trial coronavirus vaccine

Dr Edward O'Neill, who is taking part in a University of Oxford trial, admits he's taking a 'walk of faith'
Australian Associated Press
Dr Edward O’Neill (PhD)
Dr Edward O’Neill (PhD).

An Australian researcher has become one of the first two people in the world to be injected as part of human trials of a vaccine to protect against coronavirus.

Dr Edward O’Neill (PhD), who is doing research into radiation oncology at the University of Oxford, UK, rolled up his sleeve for the trial to help the world “get over (COVID-19) a lot faster”.

He and a UK microbiologist Dr Elisa Granato (PhD) were the trial’s first two volunteers , with one receiving the potential vaccine and the other a control vaccine.

Clinical teams at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group hope to recruit up to 1100 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 55 to test the potential vaccine.