Clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University has begun in South Africa and Brazil.

Researchers in South Africa and Brazil initiated the trials to assess ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) licensed to AstraZeneca and sponsored by Lemann Foundation.

The Brazil trial in Sao Paulo will involve 2,000 health workers and 1,000 volunteers according to Brazil’s health regulator, Anvisa.

Meanwhile, the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa is working with the University of Oxford and the Oxford Vaccine Group to evaluate the vaccine candidate. This marks South Africa’s first trial of a vaccine against Covid-19.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the University of the Witwatersrand’s Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study.

“This is a landmark moment for South Africa and Africa at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we enter winter in South Africa and pressure increases on public hospitals, now more than ever we need a vaccine to prevent infection by Covid-19.”

In the UK, the vaccine’s trial has already enrolled more than 4,000 participants, with plans to enroll an additional 10,000 volunteers.