UW-Madison, UW Health among 1st clinical sites in US to test new COVID-19 vaccine

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The University of Wisconsin, along with UW-Health will be one of the first clinical sites in the United States to test a new coronavirus vaccine. 

It'll be the vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. 

About 1,600 people are needed for the trial and it will take place over the next eight weeks at University Hospital. Although a lot of work has to be done in this phase-three trial, the results for the vaccine so far have been promising. 

"All of the phase one and phase two data that's available that came out of England is very encouraging for this particular vaccine," said Dr. William Hartman, assistant professor of anesthesiology at the School of Medicine and Public Health. 

The first patient is set to receive the vaccine Tuesday, Sept. 1. With the way the trial is set up, the patient won't know if it's actually the vaccine or a placebo. After the treatment, the study will last about two years and those who took part in the trial will periodically get tests to monitor their health. 

For more on the study website, CLICK HERE

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