Ostender volunteers to be infected with coronavirus
Ostend lawyer Arent Lievens has agreed to allow himself to be injected with coronavirus in the hope of becoming immune. “I’m doing this for one simple reason. In my family there are a number of people, who wouldn’t survive an infection. I have to look after them and wish to do this in an extremely safe way” he says.
“The American organisation I volunteered with is looking for more volunteers willing to be injected with coronavirus. When there’s an official go ahead for a vaccine to be tested on humans we are ready. We are the necessary guinea pigs. I’m healthy and am convinced everything will happen in a safe and responsible way. All Flemings will probably be confronted with coronavirus sooner or later. I prefer to become ill under controlled conditions.”
“I first didn’t dare to tell my family. My girlfriend was angry. After a few days of discussing the matter she is now reconciled. We urgently need a vaccine and this is my way of contributing to the research.”