9-2-20 covid vaccine trial

UW Health and the University of Wisconsin will become one of the first sites in the country to study whether a new vaccine can prevent COVID-19.    UW Health announced the upcoming study of an investigational vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.   Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says it’s exciting news.   “I think it will be interesting to see what those results are.   I think we’re always trying to see how effective a vaccine would be.”   Mueller says the study results are still probably a couple years down the road.   The study, which is currently recruiting participants, is a phase 3 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. It is considered the “gold standard for measuring the efficacy of investigatory drugs.”   UW is one of 100 clinical sites around the country to participate in the trial and will enroll about 1,600 people through Oct. at University Hospital.