Johnson pledges an extra £46m for vaccine

BORIS Johnson yesterday pledged a further £46million towards the development of a vaccine and rapid-testing kit for coronavirus.

The Prime Minister said the cash boost will help fund work on eight possible vaccines to tackle the deadly disease, but warned it could take as long as a year before one is ready.

Speaking after a visit to a medical research laboratory, Mr Johnson said the cash would also be used to research a rapid-testing kit which could provide a result within 20 minutes.

The Bedford-based Mologic Labarotary, which already has experience in creating checks for Ebola and yellow fever, hopes tests could be carried out using only a swab of saliva or a pinprick of blood.

Announcing the funding package, Mr Johnson said: “What we are announcing today is a £46million package of investment in UK science which will in time deliver a vaccine.

“Some say perhaps a year, perhaps around that scale.

Outbreaks

“But it will also help us have rapid test kits that anybody can use quickly and efficiently to tell whether they have the coronavirus and indeed many other different diseases.

“The amazing thing about this progress is it is UK led and it will be made here in the UK.”

In a statement, he added: “Keeping the British people safe is my number one priority.

“That is why I’ve set out our four-part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus.

“We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage.

“But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent outbreaks in the future.”

The Prime Minister is due to spend the weekend at Chequers, Buckinghamshire, where he will be kept informed of the crisis.

He is also expected to chair a Cobra meeting on Monday to discuss further measures about how to tackle the relentless spread of the virus.