OXFORD UNIVERSITY is the latest to produce a highly effective vaccine for COVID-19. What vaccine should you have? Is one better than the other?
As the total global cases of coronavirus reaches the 60 million mark, the end of the pandemic is on the horizon, with three effective vaccines now expected to be ready for the end of 2020. The University of Oxford has announced it has completed successful trials of another vaccine which is 70 percent effective.
The vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, was developed at Oxford University with support from the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
Only a month ago, no vaccine was expected to be trialled and approved by the end of the year, and it now looks like there could be three different vaccines in out for distribution by the end of 2020.
The invention of such vaccines against a virus identified barely a year ago is a remarkable scientific achievement.
Vaccines are yet to be approved by regulators, but millions of doses are ready to go and the NHS is being prepped for mass delivery.
COVID vaccine: The vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, was developed at Oxford University with support from the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (Image: GETTY)
AstraZeneca’s chief executive Pascal Soriot said: “Today marks an important milestone in our fight against the pandemic.
“This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency.
“Furthermore, the vaccine’s simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access means it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval.”
Speaking this morning in light of the news, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is subject to that regulatory approval and I really stress that because the medicines regulator, it’s called the MHRA, is independent, they’re rigorous, they’re one of the best regulators in the world.
“They will be very, very careful to ensure that they look at all the data to make sure that this is safe.
“Subject to that approval, we hope to be able to start vaccinating next month.
“The bulk of the vaccine rollout programme will be in January, February, March and we hope that sometime, after Easter, things will be able to start to get back to normal.”
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https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1363386/coronavirus-vaccine-what-vaccine-should-you-have-which-vaccine-better-covid-evg
