UK vaccine expert – “I say with confidence that life could return to normal by the spring”

UK vaccine expert Sir John Bell has said that “life could return to normal by the spring” in a conversation about today’s news of a 90% effective Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

The companies announced earlier that preliminary analysis suggested that the vaccine offers 90% protection from Covid-19 and a UK vaccine expert has told the BBC that it could lead to life returning to normal by spring 2021.

Sir John Bell was asked on BBC World at One “do we say with confidence that life should be returning to normal by spring?” to which he replied “Yes. Yes. Yes. I’m probably the first guy to say that but I do say that with some confidence.”

Remarkable moment of radio on @BBCWorldatOne.

UK vaccine expert Sir John Bell asked whether life could begin to return to normal by spring:

"Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm probably the first guy to say that but I will say that with some confidence."#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/bcBhuOWpEM

— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) November 9, 2020

Sir John Bell is a Professor of Medicine at Oxford University and is also a member of the UK Government’s vaccine taskforce. He told the BBC show today that “I am really delighted with this result. It shows that you can make a vaccine against this little critter. Ninety percent is an amazing level of efficacy.”

The European Union is expected to sign a contract for millions of doses of the vaccine and the UK has already ordered 30 million doses.

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