Sheffield University experts expand Covid-19 vaccine trial to include over 55s

Researchers from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are looking to recruit 200 healthy volunteers between 56 and 70 and over 70-years-old in the major coronavirus vaccine trial.

It comes as the national study enters its next phase and seeks to assess how a potential new vaccine could protect people against the virus in different age groups.

The team which are seeking volunteers in the Sheffield postcode area, hope to recruit 100 people in each age bracket in the trial which has already enrolled health volunteers aged between 18 and 55.

Out of 1,077 adult volunteers, the vaccine has produced both neutralising antibodies and an effective T-cell response when given to people from the ages of 18 and 55.

Director of Research and Development at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Professor Simon Heller said: “The Oxford vaccine trial is assessing how well people across a broad range of ages could be protected from COVID-19 from this new vaccine called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19.

"We are delighted to be expanding the study to include people aged between 56 and 70 and those over 70, and we urge anyone in these age groups who is interested and lives in the Sheffield postcode area to visit the trial website to find out more about what’s involved.”

Trial participants will be randomised to receive two doses of either the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or a licensed meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) which will be used as a comparison.

Those taking part in the study will only find out if they received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine at the end of the trial to ensure there is no bias during the trial.

Sheffield is one of 18 sites across the UK taking part in the major national study, with 12,330 participants due to take part.

The city’s trial is being run in partnership with the University of Sheffield, health and social care organisations, alongside education and transport sectors across the city – with support from the Sheffield National Institute for Health Research’s Clinical Research Facility.

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