Researchers urge BAME groups and elderly people to sign up for vaccine trials

UK researchers have urged elderly people and volunteers from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to sign up to a Covid-19 vaccine trial registry to boost efforts to find a working vaccine.

Government officials said on Monday (17) that over 100,000 people registered to take part in trials, adding that "a diverse pool of volunteers" was vital to analyse the effectiveness of candidate vaccines.

"Scientists and researchers are working day and night to find a vaccine that meets the UK’s rigorous regulatory and safety standards, but they need hundreds of thousands of people of all backgrounds and ages to sign-up for studies to speed up this vital research," said Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

"I urge everyone to play our part in the fight against coronavirus and join the 100,000 people who have already registered, so we can help save and protect millions of lives."

Kate Bingham, chair of the UK Vaccines Taskforce, stressed that protecting people at risk was “the only way we will end this pandemic".

"That's why we are working as quickly as possible to run clinical studies on the most promising vaccines to see whether they offer protection against Covid-19," she added.

"Getting 100,000 volunteers on board is a great start but we need many more people from many different backgrounds that we can call on for future studies if we are to find a vaccine quickly to protect those who need it against coronavirus."

The government said it was "particularly" encouraging people over 65, health and care workers and people from BAME backgrounds to sign up for the trials via the online registry service.

A targeted recruitment programme broadcast in Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali and Urdu was among the measures being deployed to reach out to different communities.

Recent studies had shown that minority ethnic groups were two to three times more likely to have had Covid-19 compared with white people in England. Researchers had flagged disproportionate numbers of people from minority groups dying from the disease.

Consultant respiratory physician and director of the National Institute for Health Research patient recruitment centre, Bradford, Dinesh Saralaya said "efficient vaccines which are likely to protect all sections of our society from this dreadful virus" can be produced only "by working together".

"Several vaccine trials are being conducted around the UK in the coming months, and it is important that we all sign up to be contacted about them," he said, adding that arrangements for appointments were being set up in public places close to where people live and work rather than in hospitals.

"I would like to reassure people that research trials and studies are strictly regulated for ethics and safety."

Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer of England, said "the more people who volunteer to take part the more likely we find an answer to whether any vaccine is effective".

"Having 100,000 volunteers in just four weeks shows the selflessness of the public," he added.

Marium Zumeer, 18, from Bradford, who was one among volunteers who had taken part in earlier clinical trials, urged people to "do their bit in helping us all in the fight against coronavirus".

While in intensive care due to Covid-19, she took part in the national recovery trial, which involved testing a range of potential treatments, including the use of dexamethasone that was found to be the first drug to be effective in treating critically ill patients.

"I will always be grateful for being encouraged to sign up," said Zumeer. “I remember my dad at the time urging me to take part, not just for myself but for the wider community."