In a bizarre turn of events, researchers are now looking for volunteers to be infected with the coronavirus in an effort to find a vaccine. This risky proposition, of course, comes with a reward.
According to the Mirror UK, these human guinea pigs will be offered £3,500, equivalent to RM19,231! Volunteers will be paid in exchange for two weeks in a secure London facility where they will be completely cut off from the outside world and will be constantly monitored for symptoms.
The 24 volunteers will be infected with two common strains of coronavirus, 0C43 and 229E, which are similar to COVID-19. Just like the coronavirus, these strains cause symptoms that resemble the actual symptoms shown by a person who is infected by the virus. These two strains are reported to cause a mild respiratory illness.
After simulating the ideal condition, the infected patients will then be used to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and also be tested for antiviral medications. In the laboratory, exercising is a big no-no and physical contact with other people is restricted. Furthermore, their diet will be controlled too.
However, the patients are provided with television and video games to pass their time.
“Each room is equipped with everything you need to relax, including a flat-screen TV, PlayStation 3, WiFi and en-suite bathroom,” stated Hvivo on its official website. Hvivo is the company that owns the laboratory.
Experts say that this experiment is part of a £1.53 billion (That’s over RM5 billion!) worldwide race to find a vaccine for the deadly virus, primarily for sake of the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. This one-of-a-kind human experiment is still at its planning stage because the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency will have to agree on Hvivo’s plans for it to proceed further.
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Also read: M’sia Pharmaceutical Society Warns That We May Run Out of Medication If Coronavirus Continues
