A COUPLE from Bolton have been the first to trail a new Covid-19 vaccine which experts hope can offer longer-lasting immunity than current vaccines.

The creators of the new vaccine, known as GRT-R910, hope it will boost the effect of the initial vaccines people have taken and help protect against a wide array of variants.

Trials have involved participants over 60, with retired NHS nurse Helen Clarke, 64, and her husband Andrew, 63, from Bolton the first to take the jabs.

Mr Clarke said: “Somebody has to be the first and we’re confident in the science and technology behind this vaccine, and convinced of the need for it.

“Because we’re both retired, we feel we had a reasonably easy lockdown, but we know it wasn’t the same for everybody.

“We feel that this is perhaps a small part we can play in helping to make things change.”

The trial is expected to recruit 20 more volunteers, with results expected early next year.

Mrs Clarke said: "I used to work in the NHS and had been involved in research as a nurse in the past.

"We’ve been amazed how quickly a vaccine was made and approved, and that couldn’t happen without volunteers."

The trials are taking place at the National Institute for Health Research Manchester Clinical Research Facility at Manchester Royal Infirmary, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, while research is being done through collaboration between US pharmaceutical company Gritstone, The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Bolton Council cabinet member for health and welfare Cllr Susan Baines welcomed the news, especially given how hard the borough has been hit by the pandemic over the last 18 months.
She said: "We've only just recently heard about this, but clearly its a very welcome initiative.
"We've also heard that there are Bolton residents who have volunteered to take part and we look forward optimistically to further initiatives like this which could have a lot of value to them."
The study will examine dose, safety and tolerability of GRT-R910 at two dose levels at least four months after the second administration of their initial vaccine.