Dozens of Peterborough residents take part in crucial vaccine trial to help fight against COVID

A number of patients at the Wansford & Kings Cliffe Practice have been taking part in the trial looking at the Novavax vaccine.

The UK has ordered 60 million doses of the new jab, which is now being reviewed by regulators. It is hoped it will be rolled out later this year.

The trials started in November, and a total of 127 patients took part.

A spokesman for the GP practice said: "Participants from across the Peterborough area were given the chance to take part in this study using the National vaccine registry .

"This is the largest ever double blind, placebo – controlled trial to be undertaken in the UK and we were honoured to have been selected. Over 15,000 participants were recruited in just two months.

"Many people registered their interest and were invited to take part if eligible. In total 127 participants were signed up.

"Novavax has recently released their very positive interim results from this UK study. The interim analysis of the Phase III study carried out across the UK shows that the vaccine is 89.3% effective at preventing Covid19 including effectiveness against the new variants of concern.

"Wansford and Kings Cliffe practice have dedicated research staff who ran the study with support from some members of the research team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. This type of collaborative approach between primary and secondary care was established specifically to be able to run large scale covid19 studies such as this.

"Further studies to fight covid19 are expected, to ensure the vaccines stay effective against the virus and the variants which are emerging,

"Wansford and Kings Cliffe Practice is a very busy research active GP practice who believe that patients should have access to research studies as part of standard care and have been taking part in research studies for a variety of conditions for over 30 years."

The Novavax vaccine is one of a number either currently in use, approved or awaiting approval.

A spokesman for Novavax said data showed their jab was 85.6 per cent effective against the 'UK strain' of coronavirus.If given approval, it will be given in two doses.

Currently the Oxford-AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are being used in Peterborough and across the UK.

Thousands of residents across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire have already received at least one dose of the vaccine, as more and more venues open up to allow people to get the jab.

MORE: Number of COVID vaccines given out in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire more than doubles in a week