Human trials of coronavirus vaccine approved in Germany, UK

The first human trials of a coronavirus vaccine have been approved in Germany and the UK.

German regulators have given the green-light to BioNTech and Pfizer's clinical trial of four vaccine candidates in Germany.

The first phase of the trial will be conducted on about 200 healthy people between the ages of 18 to 55.

Subjects will be given various doses of the vaccine to determine the optimal amount needed.

"We are pleased to have completed pre-clinical studies in Germany and will soon initiate this first-in-human trial ahead of our expectations," BionTech CEO Ugur Sahin said.

"The speed with which we were able to move from the start of the program to trial initiation speaks to the high level of engagement from everyone involved."

Similar trials of the same vaccine will be conducted in the USA and China, once they are given approval.

BionTech shares rose sharply on the news of a trial, and Pfizer shares also climbed.

Germany is also making face masks compulsory in public in an effort to stem the coronavirus.

Bremen became the last federal region to support the measure, which will see mask use mandatory on public transport in Germany.

Nearly all states will also make face coverings compulsory for people when shopping.

Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has confirmed 145,694 cases and recorded 4879 deaths in total.

Infections rose for a second straight day yesterday, with 281 deaths compared with 194 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile in the UK, volunteers will be given the first dose of a potential vaccine today.

The trial run by Oxford University's Jenner Institute will involve 510 test subjects.

The potential vaccine is based on a virus found in chimpanzees.

If successful, Oxford researcher Sarah Gilbert said a million doses could be ready as soon as September.