Singapore conducts first human Covid-19 challenge study

Five volunteers in Singapore have been intentionally exposed to the Covid-19 virus in the country's first human challenge study, called Sing-CoV. This study aims to enhance understanding of the virus and improve disease preparedness. The study, conducted at the National Center for Infectious Diseases, plans to recruit 20 healthy vaccinated participants aged 21 to 30. Researchers will monitor them over a year to gather data on Covid-19 infections. Future studies will be coordinated by the new Communicable Diseases Agency, which will also oversee a global project testing next-generation Covid-19 vaccines. The upcoming study will focus on the Omicron BA.5 strain, unlike Sing-CoV, which uses the Delta strain.