Progress has been made in developing a COVID-19 vaccine and has sparked greater hope in tackling coronavirus. The Vaccines Taskforce has struck agreements to buy doses of a range of vaccine types, including with the six leading candidates currently under development across the world.
Through these agreements, the Government has managed to secure early access to 350 million vaccine doses to date. Advanced discussions are ongoing between the Government and Moderna, who are currently scaling up their supply chain in Europe. It is currently anticipated that doses of the new vaccine could become available in the UK during the Spring of 2021 at the earliest.
The process of reviewing any new COVID-19 vaccine has been prioritised by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Each vaccine is put under stringent regulatory examination by experts from the MHRA against their rigorous standards on quality, safety and efficacy data.
Following these recent developments, Amanda Solloway, Member of Parliament for Derby North has spoken of the positive initial signs and the need to remain vigilant at this time.
Amanda said
“The recent news on vaccine developments has been very encouraging and gives us optimism going forward in our fight against coronavirus. Multiple vaccines are undergoing rigorous clinical trials to make sure they are safe and the possibility of having an approved vaccine in the near future is a tantalising prospect.
I would like to commend the tireless efforts that have been made in developing, trialling, and testing these vaccines and the dedication of those that have volunteered in taking part. Their hard-work and determination could make a profound difference in all our lives.
We must, nevertheless, remember that we are still in the early days of vaccine trials and we must remain alert to the risks that the virus continues to pose by following the public health advice and government guidelines on social distancing.
Derby is blessed with warm and close-knit communities and this year the festive period will present new and difficult challenges for all of us. This news presents a light at the end of the tunnel and gives us renewed hope of getting things back to normal.”