EXCLUSIVE: Bradford NHS worker first in the world to receive Covid booster jab
Michael Billington speaks exclusively to Professor Alex Brown and Professor Dinesh Saralaya
The first person in the world to receive the so-called Covid vaccine booster will be Bradford NHS worker Professor Alex Brown.
ITV Calendar has been given exclusive access to the world-leading Bradford Institute for Health Research which has been chosen as one of 18 sites to find a booster Covid vaccine for the winter.
Professor Brown will be the first person to receive their third dose of the vaccine as part of the trial into seven vaccines, to provide vital data on the impact of a third dose on patients' immune responses.
Professor Brown is a consultant in elderly care and deputy medical director at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.As an ex-army medic, he also goes into schools in Bradford encouraging kids from lower socio-economic backgrounds to join the medical profession.
During the first wave, he caught coronavirus and nearly died working on the front line.
On Tuesday he'll lead the way in a trial which is set to give scientists from around the globe and the experts behind the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme a better idea of the impact of a booster dose of each vaccine in protecting individuals from the virus.
"The vaccine programme is trying to get us back to normality but Covid is not going away.
"So this research is vital", said Professor Brown.
Professor Dinesh Saralaya, Director of Clinical Research at Bradford Royal Infirmary added:
"This trial will inform the government whether booster doses are needed or whether the vaccine many have already had been given are enough."
The initial findings, expected in September, will help inform decisions by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on plans for a booster programme from autumn this year, ensuring the country's most vulnerable are given the strongest possible protection over the winter period.
The centre is still looking for volunteers to take part in the trial. Anyone wanting to sign up should head to https://www.covboost.org.uk
They can also ring our research team on 01274 383383