The first dose of coronavirus vaccine COVAX-19 is starting human trials at South Australia’s Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The 40 healthy volunteers, aged between 18 and 65, will be injected twice with the drug or a placebo three weeks apart.
Researcher Nikolai Petrovksy said the drug was not part of the virus and volunteers were not at risk of contracting the virus through the injection.
“It will stimulate your immune system to make antibodies that are then able to kill the virus,” he said.
If phase one of the trial proved successful, COVAX-19 – which was funded by the United States – would be tested overseas and could be ready for distribution in six months.
Image: AP
