U.K. ethics panel approves risky COVID-19 study

Researchers in London will intentionally infect people with the novel coronavirus for the first time. The United Kingdom’s Research Ethics Committee approved the first COVID-19 human challenge study on Wednesday. Scientists are looking for young, healthy volunteers between 18 and 30 to expose to very small amounts of the original coronavirus strain for a study of transmission and immune system response. Doctors will monitor participants 24 hours a day.

How is U.S. vaccine distribution coming along? The winter weather is making it tough to distribute COVID-19 shots in some parts of the United States. The rate of vaccination has increased steadily in recent weeks, but must pick up even more if most U.S. adults are to get a shot by the end of the summer, as President Joe Biden has said he wants.

Dig deeper: Read Sophia Lee’s report on California’s troubled vaccine rollout.