HEALTHY Bankies over the age off 55 are being asked to take part in a trial to test a new vaccine against coronavirus.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and the University of Glasgow are supporting the University of Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccine trials, and are now recruiting approximately 200 people.

Approximately 100 people are needed aged between 55–65, and 100 over the age of 65.

This will be in addition to the 412 people who are already taking part, including NHS staff.

The trial aims to assess how well people across a broad range of ages could be protected from the virus with a new vaccine called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19.

It will also provide valuable information on safety aspects of the vaccine and its ability to generate good immune responses against the virus.

Dr Julie Brittenden, research and development director of NHSGGC, said: “We are proud to be able to contribute to this world-leading clinical trial as we try to find an effective vaccine for COVID-19."

Participants are randomised to receive one or two doses of either the new ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or a licensed meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) that will be used as a ‘control’ for comparison.

Emma Thomson, professor of infectious diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, co-principle investigator and consultant in infectious diseases at NHSGGC, said: "An effective vaccine for Covid-19 is likely to be required alongside public health measures to achieve global elimination of the disease.

“We know that older people in the population are particularly vulnerable and therefore it is important that we carry out clinical trials to assess safety and immune responses in this group.

"We are grateful to all our volunteer participants for contributing to the efforts to find a vaccine to protect those most at risk."

Screening and vaccination of participants will take place in the coming weeks.

For anyone looking to take part, please visit covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/participate-glasgow.