Vaccine discovery ‘not immediate solution’ says PM

News that a viable vaccine for COVID-19 could be on the horizon has been met with words of caution from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Mr Johnson welcomed news today, Monday, that a vaccine believed to be 90 per cent effective against the virus has been discovered.

The vaccine, developed by American pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer in co-operation with German biotechnology company BioNtech has experienced successful results in its phase three human trials.

It has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries, and no safety concerns have been raised thus far.

While the Prime Minister said at his daily briefing, this afternoon, that these were still “very, very early days” and warned that an immediate solution to the pandemic was not on the cards.

“We absolutely cannot rely on this news as a solution, and the biggest mistake we can make now is to slacken our resolve,” Mr Johnson said.

It is understood that a vaccine could be available by the end of this year, but that an UK supply would initially prioritise older residents in care homes and health and social care workers.