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PRC: Bradford commences recruitment to Novavax phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial

Enrolment to the region's first COVID-19 vaccine trial is underway at the new National Patient Recruitment Centre in Bradford’s and provides an opportunity to our community to take part in this important research.

Bradford: PRC is one of 20 centres selected to deliver the Phase 3 study to test the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate, developed by US biotechnology company Novavax.

To enable the high throughput of patients this research is being delivered at the University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ) building. Consultant Respiratory Physician Professor Dinesh Saralaya, who is leading the study at Bradford, said:

“The day has finally arrived where Bradford can join the race to find a vaccine for COVID-19. We have vaccinated our first volunteer, our very own Dr Faisal Ali, Consultant Histopathologist, who became the first volunteer to receive the vaccine or its counterpart placebo.”

Faisal told Let’s Talk:

“The reason I put my name down is because I think the only way we are going to get through this coronavirus pandemic and return to some sort of normality is through the development of an effective vaccine against coronavirus. And, basically, the development of that vaccine will rely on many volunteers to come and take part in these trials and see if these potential vaccines are effective.

“I have seen the toll this virus is taking so it’s vital people sign up to these trials, I would really encourage colleagues and the community to do the same.”

Volunteer Gill Brook, a retired physiotherapist from Otley, said:

“I’ve just had my jab as part of the coronavirus vaccine trial. I felt it was important to volunteer. I think a lot of us feel that there’s not a lot that we can do, but this is something positive that we can do that will hopefully help find an effective vaccine that will benefit us all. So I’d encourage anyone eligible to apply to be part of this trial."

PRC: Bradford is one of five new Patient Recruitment Centres in England which are expected to play an integral role in the delivery of upcoming COVID19 vaccine trials. The Novavax vaccine trial at PRC: Bradford will involve 500 recruits and we are aiming to vaccinate 50 people per day – or 250 people per week. It demonstrates how we are committed to improving the lives of patients and our local communities as well as having strong links with our partner trusts and GPs, who will be playing a significant role in the delivery of these vaccine trials.

Hundreds of people have already signed up to become volunteers for the COVID-19 trials via our microsite and the National COVID-19 Vaccine Registry but Professor Dinesh Saralaya stressed that many more are still needed – including our own members of staff:

“We are looking for thousands of volunteers for a number of vaccine trials. Bradford is part of the global race for a vaccine and we are calling on our local community as well as our staff to sign up. This is the only way that we can save as many lives as possible during the pandemic if Bradford people sign up. It is also vitally important that people from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) sign up too.”

This video describes how the trial is being delivered in Bradford:

Find out how to volunteer for COVID19 vaccine trials here: