A coronavirus vaccine might not be "light years" away and, in fact, may even become available by December this year in the United Kingdom (UK), England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said, reports suggest.
According to a report by The Sunday Times, Van-Tam said that the National Health Service (NHS) is preparing to introduce a coronavirus vaccine soon after Christmas.
"We aren't light years away from it. It isn't a totally unrealistic suggestion that we could deploy a vaccine soon after Christmas. That would have a significant impact on hospital admissions and deaths," Van-Tam reportedly told Members of Parliament (MPs).
According to a report by Business Insider, the vaccine, being developed at Oxford University with AstraZeneca, could be made available for high-priority groups in time for the New Year.
An MP who attended the briefing said that Van-Tam was "very bullish about the third stage AstraZeneca results, which he expects between the end of this month and the end of next".
According to the reports, if developed, the government plans on offering the vaccine initially to key workers, the elderly and the vulnerable. Reports also said that thousands of NHS volunteers will receive training in vaccination before the end of 2020.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
