Three senior clinicians in the faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University have volunteered to participate in South Africa's first Covid-19 vaccine trial.

The dean of the faculty of Health Sciences at Wits, Professor Martin Veller, nephrologist and research director at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre Dr June Fabian and leading HIV clinician Professor Francois Venter, divisional director of Ezintsha at Wits University, were vaccinated on Tuesday in Soweto after they were screened and found to be eligible.

Fabian said her motivation for volunteering was about supporting local scientists in their endeavours to do world-class science.

"I think it's amazing that South Africa is a Covid-19 vaccine trial site and to be a part of that is very amazing.  We must support each other as a Wits community and we must support our colleagues," she said.

Veller said Africa needed to be involved in vaccine development as there was a moral obligation for the continent to be able to access the vaccine once it became available.  

"The coronavirus pandemic has caused massive disruption - in the world - to public health and economies."