Vaccine volunteers deserving of as much gratitude as medical workers

China's first batch of volunteers for clinical trials of a novel coronavirus vaccine have already been given shots of the vaccine candidate and are under observation.

A vaccine candidate created by an Academy of Military Medical Sciences team led by bioengineer Major General Chen Wei was approved for clinical trial on March 16 and registered a day later.

For the first phase of trials, 108 healthy adults aged 18 to 60 were recruited in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province and the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China. They were selected after checking the health of thousands who had applied and have now been divided into three groups receiving low dose, medium dose and high dose vaccine shots respectively. They will be examined in six months for virus antibodies.

Team leader Chen Wei, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher with the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, and members of her team were already given the vaccine candidate shots before recruiting volunteers.

The first batch of volunteers shared their experience on social media, receiving praise and being called "pathfinders" for a vaccine that could save countless lives.

One volunteer, a Hubei resident, said he was volunteering to thank people across China who helped Hubei residents after the outbreak. Another volunteer said he was contributing for the sake of the nation and the world.

The volunteers deserve the gratitude of the country and society. Their selfless behavior could help in conquering the pandemic and saving the lives of many who are vulnerable to the virus.

They are as big heroes as the scientists and medical workers fighting the novel coronavirus epidemic.

Their spirit would inspire more people to participate in the battle against the virus in their own way, demonstrating the true meaning of a community with a shared future.