Oxford Covid vaccine trial suspension: what happens next?
Tests have been paused after a UK volunteer became ill. How will it affect the search for a cure?
One of the volunteers in the UK has become ill and it is crucial that the researchers find out whether this could be related to the vaccine. This is not uncommon in vaccine trials – and in fact it is said to be the second time it has happened with this drug. Very large trials are essential to pick up any rare side-effects. Something that affects one in 10,000 people, for instance, will probably not be detected in the early trials of just a few thousand.