China suggests start of human trials of coronavirus vaccine

Several countries have launched research programs to find a vaccine against the Covid-19 coronavirus. An international coalition, of which the famous Institut Pasteur is a member, has formed to launch a first clinical study on humans starting next September.

>> Follow the latest information on the Covid-19 in our live

An official English-language Chinese daily newspaper, the Global Times, for its part, announced that China had already started testing humans on a coronavirus vaccine, information that has not been confirmed by health authorities.

According to Global Times, 108 volunteers divided into three groups received the first injections last Friday in Wuhan, where the new coronavirus appeared. China gave the green light for a human trial on March 17, the same day that the United States announced the first test of a vaccine against Covid-19, on 45 people.

One of the Chinese volunteers participating in the trial refused our request for an interview: “I don’t speak to the foreign press “, he replied. His testimony can be seen on Weibo, Chinese Twitter: he is a former soldier, who received the injection and is under quarantine surveillance. A 19-year-old woman confirmed to us that she had applied to volunteer. “I trust our technologies, a first group of volunteers has already received the vaccine”, she says.

When the vaccine came out of the laboratory, the researchers first tested it. The volunteers have seven blood tests in the follow-up. They also receive compensation of 730 euros.A volunteerat franceinfo

The race for the vaccine illustrates the rivalry between the United States and China. Donald Trump again criticized the Chinese government for failing to notify him three months earlier on Monday, which “could have saved many lives around the world “. The President also repeated the expression “Chinese virus”, which strongly irritates Beijing.