• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

UK

Covid-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine approved for use in UK

Covid-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine approved for use in UK
Newsexplored
30th December 2020
5
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
1

By James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent

Laboratory worker at the Oxford Vaccine Group's facility

image copyrightReuters

The coronavirus vaccine designed by scientists at the University of Oxford has been approved for use in the UK.

It marks a major turning point and will lead to a massive expansion in the UK’s immunisation campaign, which is aimed at getting life back to normal.

The UK has ordered 100 million doses from the manufacturer AstraZeneca – enough to vaccinate 50 million people.

The approval, by the medicines regulator, means the vaccine is both safe and effective.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was designed in the first months of 2020, tested on the first volunteer in April, and has since been through large-scale clinical trials involving thousands of people.

  • Oxford vaccine: How did they make it so fast?

  • Concern at ‘unprecedented’ English infection level

It has been developed at a pace that would have been unthinkable before the pandemic.

It is the second jab to be approved in the UK after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was given the go-ahead in December.

More than 600,000 people in the UK have been vaccinated since Margaret Keenan became the first in the world to get that jab outside of a clinical trial.

data-ad-format="auto">

But the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will lead to a significant increase in vaccination as it is cheap and easy to mass produce.

Crucially it can be stored in a standard fridge – unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech jab which needs ultra cold storage at -70C – so it will be far easier to get the Oxford vaccine to care homes and GP surgeries.

Priority groups for immunisation – including the elderly, care home residents and health and care workers – have already been identified.

The new vaccine approval comes after Public Health England said the country was facing “unprecedented” levels of infections, and health officials in parts of Wales, Scotland and the south of England voiced concerns about the increasing pressure on the NHS.


Who will get the vaccine?

The immunisation campaign will now shift to giving as many people as possible their first dose of vaccine.

The aim will be to give as many vulnerable people some protection from Covid-19.

The decision is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The priority should be to give as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.

“Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.”

media captionLaura Foster explains how the vaccine works

How effective is the Oxford vaccine?

There are three figures doing the rounds – 62%, 70% and 90%.

The first analysis of the trial data showed 70% of people were protected from developing Covid-19 and nobody developed severe disease or needed hospital treatment.

The figure was just 62% when people were given two full doses of the jab and 90% when they were first given a half dose and then a full one.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved two full doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

However, unpublished data suggests that leaving a longer gap between the first and second doses increases the overall effectiveness of the jab.

There was not enough clear data to approve the half-dose, full-dose idea.

All the vaccines are expected to be equally effective against the new variants of the virus that have emerged.

How does it work?

The vaccine is a genetically modified common cold virus that used to infect chimpanzees.

It has been altered to stop it causing an infection in people and to carry the blueprints for part of the coronavirus, known as the spike protein.

Once these blueprints are inside the body they start producing the coronavirus’ spike protein, which the immune system recognizes as a threat and tries to squash it.

Then, when the immune system comes into contact with the virus for real, it already knows what to do.

image captionTwo full doses of the Oxford vaccine gave 62% protection, a half dose followed by a full dose was 90% and overall the trial showed 70% protection.

Follow James on Twitter.

Related Topics

More on this story

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsapprovedastrazenecacoronaviruscovidoxfordvaccine
UK
30th December 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsapprovedastrazenecacoronaviruscovidoxfordvaccine

More in UK

  • Read More
    Storm Christoph: Flood warnings in parts of England

    Views:1 image captionIn Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, residents have prepared their homes and businesses ahead of the...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Newspaper headlines: Jab complacency fears and smart motorway inquest

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionThe Daily Telegraph says government scientific advisers are concerned millions of people...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Manchester Arena Inquiry: Help given to Saffie-Rose Roussos to be examined

    Views:1 image copyrightFamily handouts image captionTop row (left to right): Alison Howe, Martyn Hett, Lisa Lees, Courtney...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    England: Phil Neville leaves Lionesses manager role

    Views:1 Phil Neville has left his role as manager of England’s women and is set to take...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Scotland’s papers: Army leads vaccine rollout and ‘patchy supplies’

    Views:1 Daily Record The Herald The Scotsman The Scottish Sun The National The Times Daily Mail Daily...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Sri Lanka v England: Tourists win first Test by seven wickets

    Views:1 Dan Lawrence scored 94 runs and Jonny Bairstow 82 in the match First Test, Galle (day...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Brexit: ‘Putting UK, not GB, delayed my fish for 24 hours’

    Views:1 By Lucy HookerBusiness reporter, BBC News Published duration4 hours ago Share Share page linkCopy link About...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    The Papers: ‘Hope in the post’ as ‘5 million more offered jab’

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionCovid vaccination progress leads Monday’s front pages, as over-70s and clinically extremely...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Sutton Hoo: The Anglo Saxon treasures that inspired The Dig starring Ralph Fiennes

    Views:1 image copyrightNetflix image captionCarey Mulligan as Sutton Hoo landowner Edith Pretty with Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    The Papers: ‘Quarantine hotels’ and jab for over-18s ‘by June’

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionSunday’s front pages include details of the government’s plans for Covid vaccinations...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Scotland’s papers: UK shuts borders and vaccine ‘wastage’ concerns

    Views:1 image captionThe Times reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suspended all of Britain’s quarantine-free travel...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
  • Read More
    Aerial photos capture ‘tree of life’ structures in Norfolk and Suffolk

    Views:1 By Martin BarberBBC News, East image copyrightMike Page image captionThe ‘trees’ are created in the mudflats...

    Newsexplored 30th December 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Former BBC sports reporter Kevin Gearey dies
    Entertainment23rd December 2020
  • Biden inauguration rehearsal paused amid US Capitol lockdown
    USA18th January 2021
  • Migrant caravan: Guatemala blocks thousands bound for US
    USA18th January 2021
  • Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate?
    USA16th January 2021
  • Joe Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package
    USA15th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Cannabis oil: ‘I’ve spent £34,000 to keep my epileptic daughter alive’
Scotland’s medical staff to support Oxford vaccine rollout
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok