UPDATED: Oxford University vaccine shows 70% protection
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The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford stops 70% of people developing Covid symptoms, a large scale trial shows.
It is both a triumph and a disappointment after vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna showed 95% protection.
However, the Oxford jab is far cheaper, and is easier to store and get to every corner of the world than the other two.
So it will still play a significant role in tackling the pandemic, if it is approved by regulators.
The Oxford researchers have performed the normally decade-long process of developing a vaccine in around 10 months.
More than 20,000 volunteers were involved, half in the UK, the rest in Brazil.
There were 30 cases of Covid in people who had two doses of the vaccine and 101 cases in people who received a dummy injection.
The researchers said it works out at 70% protection.
Intriguingly, the effectiveness rose to 90% in a group of volunteers who were given an initial half dose, followed by a full dose. It’s not clear why there is a difference.
Meanwhile Reuters reports that British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was “fantastic news” that data on Monday showed that a COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca with Oxford University could be up to 90% effective.
“These figures … shows that the vaccine in the right dosage can be up to 90% effective,” he told Sky News, after an announcement from AstraZeneca.
“We’ve got 100 million doses on order and should all that go well, the bulk of the rollout will be in the new year.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday hailed the “fantastic” news that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine developed with the University of Oxford could be up to 90% effective, but said it still would require safety checks.
“Incredibly exciting news the Oxford vaccine has proved so effective in trials,” Johnson said on Twitter. “There are still further safety checks ahead, but these are fantastic results.”
