Shropshire Star

Shropshire MP calls for vaccine volunteers to step forward

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne is encouraging volunteers to put their hands up to trial new vaccines for Covid-19.

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Philip Dunne MP

Members of the pubic wishing to sign up as a volunteer can now do so by signing up to an online NHS register.

By signing up to the Covid-19 vaccine registry, people can agree to be contacted about taking part in approved UK coronavirus vaccine studies. After signing up online, volunteers will be asked questions about themselves, and then asked for permission for researchers on the vaccine studies to contact them.

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Volunteers must be over 18, live in the UK, and have an email address. Details about signing up are available at nhs.uk/sign-up-to-be-contacted-for-research

Mr Dunne, a former health minister, said that vaccine volunteers are critical in ensuring the efficacy of vaccines against coronavirus.

“This week’s news of a vaccine breakthrough from Pfizer/BioNTech is extremely encouraging, but it is one of several vaccine programmes in which the UK has invested to maximise our chances of securing a safe effective vaccine for as many people as possible," he said.

"These vaccines rely on volunteers, to go through strenuous safety checks, before being issued to the wider public. It is now simple to join the Covid-19 vaccine registry online, which I hope will allow anyone who wants to take part in these important studies to do so easily.”