WHO Announces First Coronavirus Vaccine Trial
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that the first covid-19 vaccine trial has begun. 7">
The Director General, Dr. Tedros in his opening remarks on Wednesday, shared the breakthrough and and urge nations to participate in what he termed ”SOLIDARITY TRIALS”
During the media briefing on Coronavirus, Dr. Tedros said “The first vaccine trial has begun just 60 days after the genetic sequence of the coronavirus was shared.
This is an incredible achievement. We commend the researchers around the world who have come together to systemically evaluate experimental therapeutics.”
The DG said multiple trials will be conducted and in different countries in order to have clear and strong evidence. He said the trial has been tagged “SOLIDARITY TRIAL”.
In Dr. Tedros words:
“Multiple small trials with different methods may not give us the clear, strong evidence we need about which treatments help to save lives.
WHO and partners are organizing a study in many countries in which some of these untested treatments are compared with each other.”
“This large, international study is designed to generate the robust data we need, to show which treatments are the most effective. We have called this study the SOLIDARITY trial”.
WHO DG enlisted countries who have voluntarily join the SOLIDARITY trial.
“Many countries have already confirmed that they will join the SOLIDARITY trial – Argentina, Bahrain, Canada, France, Iran, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand – and I trust many more will join,” he said.
Dr. Tedros conclude thus:
“I continue to be inspired by the many demonstrations of solidarity from all over the world. The Solidarity Response Fund has now raised over $43M from more than 173K individuals & organizations. I’d especially like to thank FIFA for its contribution of $10M”.
Favipiravir A Cure For Coronaviurs Finally Discovered
CityNews recall that China had announced an anti-retro viral drug, named Favipiravir as been effective against the novel virus.
According to the official, more than 80 patients participated in the trial in the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province.
Xinmin said 35 patients were taking Favipiravir and the 45 were on a control group.
At the end of the trial, he said the results showed that the patients who took the Favipiravir drug tested negative for the virus within a short time. On the other hand, the patients in the control group have shown no improvement.
Another clinical research at the Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan University showed that the “therapeutic effect of the drug is stronger than the control group”.
Xinmin said the drug has been recommended in the diagnosis and treatment of the deadly virus.
