How Oxford Medical Sciences is fighting Coronavirus
Researchers from across the Medical Sciences Division are working hard to combat the COVID-19 crises. With particular strengths in infectious diseases and international health, we are well placed to contribute to better understanding and effectively controlling the epidemic. We have a long history of responding to crises, in the UK and around the world and are leaders in emergency vaccine development. During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, our scientists performed the world’s first human Ebola vaccine studies, starting them before any other university or company. Our researchers, in collaboration with partners across the globe, are working to develop an effective vaccine and drugs to target this virus, and have already introduced innovative public health measures and collaborative online tools that are being used in hospitals here and abroad.
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Coronavirus-related news from across the Medical Sciences Division
Malaria elimination at risk as Ghana economy improves
3 July 2020
New paper by Centre for Tropical Medicine & Global Health researcher Rima Shretta, published in Malaria Journal, finds that lower donor support and COVID-19 lockdowns threaten 10 years of progress
UK regulator gives green light to clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine to prevent Covid-19 in healthcare workers
30 June 2020
The UK regulator MHRA announced on 26 June that it would again permit recruitment to the COPCOV COVID-19 prevention clinical trial. The MHRA decision came 5 weeks after it reacted immediately to the now-discredited paper published in The Lancet suggesting harms with hydroxychloroquine, and paused recruitment of UK participants. But The Lancet paper was based on fabricated data and was swiftly retracted. After this interruption, recruitment around the globe to COPCOV can now resume.
Varying risk of COVID-19 to health workers revealed
30 June 2020
A study at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust has revealed the different levels of risk faced by healthcare workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trial of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine starts in Brazil
29 June 2020
Volunteers have begun taking part in Latin America’s first clinical trial for a vaccine against COVID-19.
New Oxford co-led platform to accelerate COVID-19 tests into real-world use
25 June 2020
Testing for coronavirus infection could become quicker, more convenient and more accurate, following the launch of a multicentre national programme of research that will evaluate how new diagnostic tests perform in hospitals, general practices and care homes.
The Duke of Cambridge visits Oxford Vaccine Centre
25 June 2020
The Duke of Cambridge visits the University of Oxford’s Oxford Vaccine Centre, to learn more about their work to establish a viable vaccine against COVID-19.
Trial of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa begins
24 June 2020
Participants in South Africa’s first clinical trial for a vaccine against COVID-19 are to be vaccinated this week.
Oxford leads development of risk prediction model for more tailored COVID-19 shielding advice
23 June 2020
Clinicians and GPs will soon be able to better identify patients who are at a higher risk of serious illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection based on a new data-driven risk prediction model, now under development by an Oxford University-led team.
Oxford University collaborate with Bvlgari to fight COVID-19 and future pandemics
17 June 2020
Bvlgari, the Italian luxury brand, has today announced plans to support research into COVID-19 and vaccine development at Oxford University.
Find out how other parts of the University are tackling COVID-19
Researchers across the University of Oxford are at the forefront of global efforts to understand COVID-19 and protect our communities.
Support our Research
Find out how to support Oxford's coronavirus work across a number of key research areas.