If ever you wanted to make quick cash while potentially risking your life then you might want to get in line for this opportunity. The world's first human COVID-19 trials will pay £4,500 to have people infect themselves with the virus in the name of science.
Discover our latest podcast
What are the requirements to take part in the study?
Participants in this first ever trial of its kind must be between 18 and 30 years of age, non smokers and willing to be monitored in a controlled hospital environment for the duration of the trial which is estimated to be at least two weeks long. Those interested in partaking in the study must not have been infected by the coronavirus before.
90 participants will be selected to have the virus injected up their nose before being heavily monitored by healthcare professionals for the duration of the study.
The study, which has received ethical approval, will also require participants to attend follow up appointments over the course of an entire year to keep track of the potential lingering effects of the disease post treatment and recovery.
Study is necessary to help develop effective treatment against the virus
Studies of these types are essential in figuring out how to effectively fight against diseases and have been used to develop treatments for diseases such as cholera, flu, typhoid and malaria. The interim chair of the Vaccines Taskforce, Clive Dix, said:
We expect these studies to offer unique insights into how the virus works and help us understand which promising vaccines offer the best chance of preventing the infection.
Despite the current vaccination rollout program well underway in the UK with more than 16 million people having received at least one dose of the jab, further research is necessary in order to develop protection against the many variants that have since emerged.
