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Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thanks for all the positive messages I have been receiving. I can't possibly reply to all of them, but rest assured they are appreciated! I am also getting tons of questions about the Oxford #COVID19 vaccine trial, so here's a little FAQ: (1/8)
I'm doing great so far, thank you! And the whole team at @VaccineTrials is doing a really amazing job at tracking and supporting all participants. (2/8)
The vaccine is not the actual #COVID19 virus, it's just a tiny little piece of it, attached to a different, non-functional virus. This means it cannot replicate in humans, but it can potentially (and hopefully will) activate the immune system and protect from #COVID19. (3/8)
I will NOT be infected with #COVID19 on purpose. The study looks at antibody production, possible side-effects (predicted to be mildly flu-like), and also protection from #COVID19 in the "real world" (i.e. accidental infection) over the course of the next months/year. (4/8)
The study is double-blind, meaning neither I nor the people administering the vaccine know if I received the control vaccine or the #COVID19 vaccine candidate. This is important to avoid bias. (5/8)
I am one of ~1000 participants in the first round of this trial, and who is vaccinated first (or last) in my group is entirely random. (6/8)
If you have more questions about the trial, check out their website: https://covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/ (7/8)
Finally, to all new followers: this account is 50% science memes, 40% actual microbiology at a boring/academic level, and 10% cats. Sorry if you expected more #COVID19 content. I'm just a regular microbe nerd. (8/8)
