British scientists are looking for new volunteers to be inoculated with the virus

Exposing human beings to the Covid virus raises many ethical questions. France, moreover, refused to do so. In Great Britain, a second phase of tests is beginning: thereputable Imperial College of London and University of Oxford are again looking for volunteers to inoculate with the virus.

Lhe results of the first study show that none developed a serious form of Covid. In this first phase which has just ended, 36 volunteers under 30 in good health received drops in the nose with the original strain of Sars Cov2, and it must be admitted, the first results do not learn not much. According to the first lessons, half of the volunteers were infected and they developed mild symptoms. The incubation was short, a little less than 2 days… All of this was known elsewhere with observational studies on thousands of people, some of whom become infected naturally over time.

Of course, by infecting volunteers, we can study the mechanics of the virus more quickly and ask new questions. But is the risk justified? It is debatable from an ethical point of view, analyzes Emmanuel Hirsch, professor of medical ethics at the University of Paris-Saclay.

“There is indeed exposure to a risk. These are healthy volunteers, we know nothing of the truly long-term consequences of this contamination and this infection. We see it for the long Covids.”

Emmanuel Hirsch, professor of ethics

at franceinfo

In the benefit/risk balance, the benefit is thus for the community but the individual risk. In the second phase of the study which is about to start, British scientists have decided that, since there are now treatments to cure Covid, volunteers will be able to benefit from them if they develop a severe form of the disease.