South Africa begins to try out Tuberculosis vaccines to treat COVID-19

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About 500 workers in South Africa are now involved in the process of testing Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a tuberculosis vaccine as a potential cure for the COVID 19 virus.

The testing trial has been undertaken by ‘Task’, a clinical research organisation that is funding the research trial.

Within the year, the organisation plans to study about 3000 participants in the trial. So far, 500 participants are being studied. 250 of which have been given the injection and the remaining 250 have been injected with Placebo – a substance made to resemble the drug but remains inactive.

One of the researchers working on this vaccine, Professor Andreas Diacon, revealed that a study has shown that children who have been immunized with Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), are less likely to suffer from respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

South Africa currently has the highest incidence of the COVID 19 virus in Africa with about 7572 confirmed cases and 148 deaths.