Scientists around the world are working tirelessly to find a vaccine. So far we have had some very promising leads, one of which is the Moderna vaccine which is believed to be 95% effective so far. We are committed to ensuring that the UK gets a vaccine as soon as possible, that is why I am pleased to hear that we have now secured access to 5 million doses of this promising vaccine. The deal now means we have secured a total of 355 Million doses as part of the strategy to build a diverse portfolio of promising vaccines.
If the vaccine meets various safety and effectiveness requirements by the medicines regulator, we could see the Moderna vaccine being delivered as early as spring next year. Data shows that the vaccine is 95% effective and has had no safety issues at this current time. The Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford University AstraZenece vaccine is waiting on data from the phase 3 clinical trials and we could see this become available before the end of the year if given regulatory approval.
Securing a vaccine is critical so we can all return to a more normal way of life and that is why it is important that we work to secure a deal with different developers, to give us the best possible chance of protecting the public. So far 355 million vaccines have been secured with 7 different developers.
A breakthrough is close and all the signs are promising. I know the current restrictions are difficult but until a vaccine is secured we must all following the current guidelines to keep our friends, family, loved ones and neighbours safe.
