Healthy Person Infected with COVID-19... Controversy over COVID Research at Oxford University, UK

Virus Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] British researchers are conducting a study that involves reinfecting people who have previously been infected with COVID-19, the American daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 18th (local time).

Participants in the experiment are expected to receive several million won as compensation for participating in the clinical trial. Through this experiment, the research team plans to observe not only the development of COVID-19 vaccines but also human viral immunity. However, the medical ethics of deliberately infecting healthy individuals with bacteria has become a subject of controversy.

According to the WSJ report, Oxford University, supported by the London-based health charity Wellcome Trust, has decided to conduct this experiment as early as next month on up to 64 individuals aged 18 to 30.

Eligibility for participation requires individuals who have not been vaccinated but have developed antibodies from a previous COVID-19 infection. The researchers plan to isolate these participants in a hospital for about 17 days and then deliberately infect them with COVID-19.

The experiment involves administering the virus through the participant's nose to reinfect them and then recording their immune response. Vaccines will not be used during this process.

Last November, during the resurgence of COVID-19 in Liverpool, UK. Citizens are standing in a long line waiting their turn in front of a COVID-19 testing site. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The research team explained that by observing and understanding the process of protection from the virus, it will be easier to develop new treatments or vaccines. Volunteers will be paid 5,000 pounds (approximately 7.7 million won) for the isolation period and about one year of follow-up observation.

Britain is the only country conducting research that intentionally infects healthy people with the virus during the COVID-19 situation. Although the plan is to analyze the effects of the virus through this, there are concerns regarding medical ethics.

Meanwhile, Professor Helen McShane of Oxford University, who is leading the research, said, "We still do not know whether a person who does not get infected is because they were not exposed or because they have immunity," expressing hope that this study will improve the situation regarding COVID-19 vaccines and related matters.