OXFORD VACCINE DATA OUT SOON

RESULTS from the first trials of the Oxford vaccine should be shared very soon, the boss AstraZeneca revealed.

Pascal Soriot, whose company has formed a partnership with Oxford University, said phase one finished last week and researchers are now preparing for larger tests with 10,000 UK volunteers.

But he warned the falling infection rate means the team is in a race against time to collect evidence. If too few volunteers catch coronavirus, it will be unclear whether the vaccine offers protection.

Scientists may eventually have to consider trials in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to infection.

He said: “But very soon the disease intensity will be low and it will become difficult so we have to move very quickly.”