Vaccine promise is welcomed
FRASER WILSON
Politicians from across the area have welcomed news of a “safe” coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford.
News of the vaccine and its trials were published on Monday, giving worldwide cause for optimism.
Trials involving 1077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus.
Lisa Cameron MP said she welcomed the “fantastic news” that she said “shines a light on the excellent scientists we have working so hard to find a vaccine”.
That was echoed by Graham Simpson MSP, who said: “This is a hugely welcome development in our fight against Coronavirus and I applaud the teams of scientists at Oxford for their incredible work.
“While we will need further trials, this is some positive news and shows that we are heading in the right direction in tackling this virus that we are learning more about all the time.
The vaccine – made from a genetically engineered virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees – It has been heavily modified to “look” more like coronavirus.
Scientists did this by transferring the genetic instructions for the coronavirus’s ‘spike protein – the crucial tool it uses to invade our cells – to the vaccine they were developing.
This means the vaccine resembles the coronavirus and the immune system can learn how to attack it.
It is being developed at unprecedented speed with the UK already ordering 100 million doses of the vaccine.
But experts say it is still “too soon” to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are under way.
Despite this, with the UK already ordering 100 million doses of the vaccine, a move that Mr Simpson signifies the “early promise” in the work of the trial.
His counterpart, Linda Fabiani MSP, said: “These developments are obviously encouraging and the speed of which progress has been made is fantastic.
“I am sure many of us will be watching closely over the coming weeks and months – fingers crossed the positive results continue.”
The study showed 90 per cent of people developed neutralising antibodies after one dose. Only 10 people were given two doses and all of them produced neutralising antibodies.
Whilst deemed ‘safe,’ researchers said the vaccine did serve up side-effects but none of these were classed as dangerous.
Seventy per cent of people on the trial developed either fever or headache, but researchers say this could be managed with paracetamol.
Dr Cameron said people should continue to follow government guidance until larger multi-site trials are undertaken and it has been confirmed the vaccine is safe and effective, “which may be confirmed next year”.