Thursday, November 14, 2024

UK scientists want to test Covid-19 vaccine in Kenya if ‘it fails in UK’

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Isaac Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzi is an experienced and award winning journalist from Ghana. He has worked for several media brands both in Ghana and on the International scene. Isaac Kaledzi is currently serving as an African Correspondent for DW.

Kenyans are fuming over reports that UK Scientists are considering covid-19 vaccine trial in Kenya if the ongoing test in the UK fails.

On Thursday two volunteers were injected as the first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine begun in Oxford.

The two volunteers are among the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study.

Half of the volunteers will receive the Covid-19 vaccine while another half will receive a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus.

According to UK media reporting the design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting although doctors will.

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But the scientists are considering testing the vaccine in Kenya if the ongoing trial doesn’t give quick results.

BBC medical correspondent, Fergus Walsh made the revelation on BBC World Service, a comment that has attracted backlash among Kenyans.

Walsh said “We could be careful not to over promise because we are desperate for this vaccine to work but the team in Oxford have a really strong record going back 30 years. They have developed successful prototype vaccines against another type of coronavirus, MERS.

He said if the UK scientists who “have also developed vaccines against plague” including malaria “don’t get early quick results from the UK they are considering a trial in Kenya where the epidemic of the coronavirus will be on the rise.”

Walsh also said that “As far as i know, this vaccine is known to produce a strong anti-body response but that doesn’t necessarily equate to protection. And we are going to need many vaccines with dozens in development.

“Then we will need billions of doses and expect a huge debate over which countries and which groups of people get the vaccine first.”

 

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Outrage over comments

But the comment of a potential testing of the covid-19 vaccine in Kenya got many Kenyans fuming. Some have expressed their anger on social media.

There have been similar anger among Africans after two French scientists suggested that a Covid-19 vaccine trial should start from Africa.

Those comments were rejected by the WHO chief who is an Africa. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the comments as racist.

He said Africa will not be a testing ground for any vaccine and said the WHO will ensure that all vaccines are safe for use.

 

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Source: Africafeeds.com

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