Britain's Race For 30M To Get Vaccine By Autumn

Government in new £84m drive for Britain to lead global fight against coronavirus

- Hanna Geissler

Thirty million doses of a coronavirus vaccine could be available by September, the Government announced yesterday.

Trials at Oxford University are progressing well and the jab could be rolled out before winter if proven to work, it was revealed.

All volunteers in the first phase of clinical trials have now been immunised and scientists are just awaiting the results.

In another positive step, an army of almost 18,000 contact tracers have been recruited to identify people who have been exposed to Covid-19. They should be deployed this month.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma revealed the developments, as Britain’s daily death toll fell to its lowest level since March 24 – the day after the country was plunged into lockdown. A further 170 deaths were reported, taking the UK total to 34,636.

Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, Mr Sharma paid tribute to researchers working at “genuinely unprecedented” speeds to defeat Covid-19.

He said: “Our scientists are working tirelessly to develop vaccines and drug treatments, condensing work that would usually take years into months and even weeks.

“Their drive and dedication inspires us all and with their help we will overcome coronavirus.”

The Government is investing a further £84million to accelerate vaccine development at “frontrunners” Oxford University and Imperial College London.

Mr Sharma said: “This new money will help mass produce the Oxford vaccine so that if current trials are successful we have dosages to start vaccinating the UK population straight away.

Rapid

“The funding will also allow Imperial to launch phase three clinical trials of its vaccine later this year.