WATCH: senior scientist says new vaccine is "astronomical" breakthrough in the fight against covid-19
Last updated 23rd Nov 2020
A new vaccine that is expected to cost as little as £3 a jab was hailed today (Monday) a major breakthrough in the fight against covid19
Already the UK has no fewer than 100 million doses on order - such is the confidence in a vaccine that's been developed by Oxford University in partnership with AstraZeneca
In an exclusive interview with Downtown Radio & Cool FM, Professor Teresa Lambe described the development as astronomical and said it had the potential to save thousands of lives
“We are able to report that we have a pooled analysis indication 70% efficacy and when you delve in a little deeper there is one that gives 90% efficacy,” she said.
The vaccine has already been tested on a wide range of age groups including the elderly
And now it'll go through a few other stages before expected roll-out in the New Year
And she added: “So between these vaccines and other vaccines we are hopeful that we will be able to supply enough vaccine to make a global impact to this disease.”
And speaking to reporters during a Science Media Centre briefing, Prof Pollard said the vaccine can be stored at fridge temperature.
Compared to the minus 70C to minus 80C needed for the Pfizer and Moderna jabs, the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine can be transported and distributed more easily, and will be easier to store in lower-income countries.
Pascal Soriot, chief executive of AstraZeneca, said it marked an "important milestone'' in the 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,'' he told the briefing.
"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.''
Pam Cheng, executive vice president of operations and information technology at AstraZeneca, said great progress'' was being made with regard to the global supply chain.
AstraZeneca will have approaching 200 million doses by the end of this year, with more than 700 million doses globally by the end of the first quarter of 2021, she told the briefing.
"We plan to be supplying by the end of the year, with hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine supply in 2021 on a rolling basis, obviously pending regulatory approval,'' she said.
"From the very beginning we wanted to have in place the capacity to manufacture a meaningful volume quickly so we could make a real difference in the fight against this pandemic.''