Image for illustration. AP
Britain has beforehand secured 100 million doses of the vaccine, developed on the University of Oxford and licenced to AstraZeneca.
- Reuters
- Last Updated:June 02, 2021, 09:23 IST
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Britain is in talks with Oxford and AstraZeneca for added doses of their COVID-19 vaccine that has been modified to higher goal the “beta” coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, and it will fund trials of the shots.
Britain has previously secured 100 million doses of the vaccine, developed at the University of Oxford and licenced to AstraZeneca, and the health ministry said the extra doses under discussion would be tailored to target the B.1.351 variant.
South Africa put use of AstraZeneca’s shot on hold in February after data showed it gave minimal protection against mild-to-moderate infection caused by the country’s dominant variant, now known as “beta” beneath a brand new World Health Organization labelling system.
Oxford considers the variant prime precedence for vaccine builders, and AstraZeneca has focused the event of recent vaccines in opposition to variants by the autumn.
Britain has dedicated to funding trials for the brand new tailored vaccine, which might be fast-tracked via the regulatory course of following new steering in March.
Britain’s well being minister Matt Hancock is internet hosting a summit of Group of Seven (G7) counterparts in Oxford later this week, and he’ll use a speech on Wednesday to spotlight Britain’s position within the Oxford-AstraZeneca undertaking.
Hancock may even spotlight that Britain is anticipated to hit the milestone of giving three-quarters of adults a primary COVID-19 vaccine dose on Wednesday, the well being ministry stated.
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