Posted on December 27th, 2020
Courtesy Times (UK)
Oxford jab expected to win approval ‘in days’
The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and Astra Zeneca is expected to win approval this week as the head of the drugs giant said it should be” effective against the highly transmissible new strain of the virus.
Senior government officials expect the drugs watchdog to give the green light before Thursday, speeding up the provision of the jab to the 15m people who could end up in hospital if they caught the virus.
Astra Zeneca’s chief executive, Pascal Soriot, today reveals that new data will show the vaccine is as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna jabs that have already been approved, protecting 95% of patients, and is 100% effective” in preventing severe illness requiring hospital treatment.
Teachers and key workers will be added to priority list when Oxford vaccine is approved but SAGE expert warns even a million jabs a week WON T curb Covid crisis by February
Sir Jeremy Farrar said if UK hits 1m jabbed a week, it will not bring the end closer
The Wellcome Trust s director also noted importance of treating people globally
It follows the emergence of easily transmissible strain of the virus in South Africa
It comes as all of England s secondary schools will remain shut for most students
Doctors worry NHS could be quickly overwhelmed as hospital admissions surge
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Hospitals in England are hurtling towards having 20,000 coronavirus patients who need NHS treatment on New Year s Eve, according to dire projections that will bolster calls for No10 to introduce another draconian lockdown in 2021.
Department of Health statistics show 18,227 Covid-infected patients were being cared for in hospitals across the nation on Christmas Eve - a 15 per cent rise in a week. Top officials say a highly infectious strain spreading rapidly across the country is to blame.
For comparison, April 12 was the busiest day of the pandemic so far for hospitals in England, when 18,974 patients were occupying beds.
The Health Service Journal, a trade publication aimed at health bosses, has calculated that the number of Covid patients is rising by around 250 each day, meaning NHS England is on course to exceed the first wave in the next few days and, possibly, top 20,000 on New Year s Eve .
131 new coronavirus cases recorded in Newport as Wales records 15 new deaths
The infection rate in the city currently stands above the Welsh average at nearly 679 cases per 100,000 people
14:01, 28 DEC 2020
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