Wales plays key role in finding safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine
The Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) following a global trial, in which Welsh participants and healthcare professionals played a key role.
A collaboration between Public Health Wales, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Health and Care Research Wales, and the Centre for Trials Research at Cardiff University, took part in phase 2/3 of the vaccine trial sponsored by the University of Oxford and funded by CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) UK Research and Innovation.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board recruited almost 450 participants to the Oxford Vaccine Group COVID-19 vaccine trial. Volunteers aged 18 and over were invited to take part in the trial. Many participants were from health and care settings, including staff in hospitals, GP practices, pharmacy, physiotherapy, community care and other non-clinical professions within secondary care who were deemed at risk of exposure to coronavirus.