Astrazeneca vaccine could help ease Covid restrictions, minister says
Regulatory approval of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Astrazeneca and Oxford University could accelerate the easing of lockdown measures, the government has said.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said there would be a “significant increase” in jabs available if authorities give the green light to the British vaccine candidate.
This would allow ministers to ease strict coronavirus restrictions, which have wreaked havoc for British businesses.
“If we do get the authorisation for that vaccine, and the rollout goes according to plan, then we will be able to progressively lift some of the restrictions, which have made life so difficult for so many,” Gove told Sky News.
The UK this month became the first country in the world to launch a Covid-19 vaccination programme after regulators approved the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate.
Britain has ordered 40m doses of the vaccine — enough to inoculate 20m people. The treatment, which requires two jabs three weeks apart, is being administered to the oldest and most vulnerable Brits first.
But hopes are also pinned on the success of the Astrazeneca/Oxford vaccine, of which the government has ordered 100m doses.
This could be the key to lifting stringent restrictions put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Large swathes of England were moved into the toughest tier 4 restrictions on Boxing Day amid a surge in infections.
The recent rise in cases has been blamed on a new more contagious variant of the disease spreading across the UK.