According to the director of the Oxford Vaccine Test, there is a “small chance” that a jab will be ready before Christmas.
Vaccine testing chief investigator Andrew Pollard told the Oxford University path to science and technology that the path could provide delayed results, revealing whether it would be operational by the end of the year.
When asked if the vaccine was ready by Christmas, he said: “There’s a small chance it could be, but I don’t know.”
“Our trials are one of many that are going on around the world, and many of them may be reported before the end.
Year. “
However, the deadline for using the vaccines is not yet clear, he said.
It comes as Boris Johnson said a vaccine could be found in the first half of 2021.
A Corona virus The vaccine is not yet approved and must go through regulators to ensure it is safe and effective before it is offered to the public.
The two leading players are currently on delayed clinical trials and may send medical data to controllers within weeks.
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These are vaccines from the German company Bioendech and the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca.
Kate Bingham, chairman of the UK’s vaccination task force, told the group “more than 50%” in the hope that a vaccine would be developed next summer.
The data looks positive, he said, adding that we are “very likely” to see a vaccine that “works partially” and a vaccine that reduces disease and death.
However, it has a “slim” chance of completely eradicating the virus, he warned.
Meanwhile, the team heard that no vials were filled with the Oxford vaccine.
The government will reduce the 30 million doses of vaccines it promised to deliver by the end of September.
Instead, Ms Bingham said by the end of 2020 there will be enough vaccines for four million doses.
Earlier, the NHS UK chief executive said the health service was preparing to deliver a Covid 19 vaccine before Christmas if a jab is ready.
Sir Simon Stevens told the BBC Radio 4’s Today program today: “More than 200 vaccines are in development and we hope to get one or more of them available from the first half of next year.
“In anticipation of that, we are ready to start managing the NHS COVID-19 If vaccines are available before Christmas. “
He said an “agreement” had been reached with the GPs to ensure this would happen: “We will write to the GPs this week to start the Christmas festivities if the vaccine is available.”
On Tuesday, G.P. The newspaper published the news as Pulse GPSs are placed on hold Start vaccinating 85-year-olds and leading health workers from the beginning of next month.
However, Ms Bingham had previously warned that first-generation COVID-19 vaccines could be “incomplete.” “Everyone can go without work”.
Last week, he wrote in The Lancet Medical Magazine: “We need to be prepared to reduce the symptoms without preventing them from infecting everyone, even then or may not work for a long time.”
It follows warnings from government scientists that the NHS could be plunged into thousands more deaths if no action is taken.
Sir Simon said: “In many parts of the country, we now see more corona virus inpatients in hospital and intensive care than we saw at the first peak in April.”
He said the health service was “adding as much capacity as possible” in anticipation of routine winter stress and COVID patients.
But he said people should do everything they can to reduce infection rates to ensure that other services – routine activities and cancer care – are protected.
“We are adding as much capacity as we can in anticipation of not only the corona virus, but also the extra winter stresses that always come with this time of year,” he said.
“The reason we want to try to reduce the number of corona virus infections and the number of patients is not only because of the high mortality rate, but also because of the knock-on effects it has on other services – routine operations, cancer care.
“Therefore, if we want to protect other services, the health service can continue to help a full range of patients and do everything we can to reduce the rate of infection with the corona virus.”
The Government Advisory Committee on Vaccines has already outlined which groups should be given priority in obtaining a Covid 19 job.
The Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunizations said homeowners and workers should be the first to be offered any approved vaccine.
Then, people aged 80 and over and health and community care workers should be next to get the jab.
In total, there are more than 200 vaccine candidates worldwide, including 44 in clinical trials.
Of the 44, nine are in the third phase of clinical evaluation and are being offered to thousands of people to ensure safety and efficacy.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Security said on Tuesday: “While there is no certainty about the development, production and timing of new vaccines, the Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be available in the UK first in 2021.
“It will only be released if it has been proven safe and effective by strong clinical trials and is approved by the MHRA (Drugs and Health Products Regulatory Agency).
“Once approved, the NHS is ready to launch a vaccination program for those at high risk before it is widely disposed of.”
A spokesman for the NHS added: “The NHS has well established programs to provide immunizations nationwide, including annual flu and pediatric immunizations, and work is underway to develop these tried and tested approaches so that a vaccine is ready and staff can safely deliver it.”
