Coronavirus vaccine update: It could be rolled out by March says WHO senior adviser

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A breakthrough vaccine has today ignited hopes of a way out of the current pandemic engulfing in the world. The coronavirus vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has been found to be 90 percent effective in preventing people from getting the virus. The developers heralded the breakthrough as a “great day for science and humanity”

Echoing their enthusiasm, WHO senior advise Bruce Aylward says it could put the world in a position to “fundamentally change direction”.

He floated the prospect of a vaccine roll-out by March 2021.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation, also welcomed the “encouraging” news.

“We welcome the encouraging vaccine news from Pfizer and BioNTech and salute all scientists and partners around the world who are developing new safe, efficacious tools to beat Covid-19,” he wrote on Twitter.

“The world is experiencing unprecedented scientific innovation and collaboration to end the pandemic.”

Who will receive the vaccine first?

The UK Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the results were “promising” and that “the NHS stands ready to begin a vaccination programme for those most at risk once a COVID-19 vaccine is available”.

When the NHS is ready to roll out the vaccine, people who live and work in care homes will be top priority, followed by the elderly and the clinically vulnerable, they said.

To gather their findings, the joint healthcare companies conducted tests on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised.

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