UK becomes First World Country to Approve Covid-19 Human Challenge

United Kingdom (UK) has become the first country in the world to back an initiative where 90 young people will take up the human challenge of being exposed to Covid-19. The challenge is set to bolster the development of Covid-19 vaccines and treatment.

At least 90 young health volunteers aged between 18 and 30 will be exposed to coronavirus in a ‘safe and regulated environment.’ The study involves young adults because of low risk. Similar studies have been held in the past for diseases like flu, cholera and malaria.

According to Aljazeera, UK government has invested $46.6 million in the study under the auspices of the UK government’s Vaccine Taskforce, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College London and hVIVO.

Since the onset of the pandemic, UK has reported over four million coronavirus cases. At least 120,000 UK citizens have succumbed to the virus. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson enforced the third lockdown on January 4, after a new variant hit the country.

Britain has been so swift in vaccinating its citizens and over 15 million people have already been vaccinated, since the process began on December 8. Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech have been approved for use in the UK.

The authorities have also authorized the usage of the inoculation produced by Moderna.

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