First volunteers dosed at UCLH in Covid-19 vaccine alternating dose study

UCLH has dosed the first UK participants in a study looking at alternating doses of different Covid-19 vaccines.

The ‘Com-Cov’ study, which is being run at the UCLH Vaccine Research Centre, will determine the effects of using a different vaccine for the second dose to the first dose, as well as varying intervals between doses.

The Urgent Public Health study led by Oxford University is backed by £7 million of government funding from the Vaccines Taskforce.

Principal investigator at UCLH Professor Vincenzo Libri told Sky News there was good reason to think the mix and match approach will improve immune response "because of the two different [vaccine] technologies.”

UCLH Director of Research and BRC Director Professor Bryan Williams told the channel: "What has been seen before when you have two different types of vaccine [is] you can sometimes get an even bigger immune response than having the same vaccine twice."

Trial participant Julian Van Loxton said: "If I can do anything to help, then I'll do it."

And participant Mo Yusuff said: "Anything that is going to help save lives and speed up how they can vaccinate people is an advantage."

Over 800 volunteers, aged 50-years-old and above, are expected to take part in the study across eight NIHR-supported sites in England.

Read coverage of the trial on Sky News.

Photo credit: SKY NEWS