Boris Johnson unveils extra £46m to help UK scientists win global race for vaccine

Boris Johnson today fired up British scientists to win a global race to develop a vaccine against coronavirus in less than a year.

He also pumped money into a British laboratory that hopes to roll out unique home-testing kits within weeks to help families slow the spread of the disease.

Visiting a lab in Bedfordshire, the Prime Minister unveiled an extra £46 million of funding, drawn from international aid money, towards making the breakthroughs that could save millions of lives around the world.

Downing Street said his hope was to slash months off the 18-month schedule that would typically be the shortest timeframe possible to develop a life-saving jab, setting a target of having it ready by this time next year.

Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park (REUTERS)
Reuters

“We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage,” Mr Johnson said. “But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent future outbreaks

“I’m very proud that UK experts — backed by government funding — are on the front line of global efforts to do just that.”

Scientists are working around the world to try to develop a vaccine. Britain is leading the field, with eight possible vaccines being developed, supported with £65 million from the taxpayer.

Before and after aerials of public spaces affected by the Coronavirus

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Britain was the first to develop a laboratory test for Covid-19, but the process takes several days.

Now UK lab, Mologic, which the Prime Minister toured, is attempting to create the first home test to allow nurses and untrained members of the public find out if they have the virus, without sending off samples for testing.

Quicker testing from a home kit would let families know if they need to self-isolate or if they are clear to go to work or school, keeping the economy moving.

For developing countries that do not have the laboratory facilities to carry out tests, it would transform their ability to track and tackle coronavirus.

“Rapid testing is going to be key to managing this outbreak,” said the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance. “But ultimately, vaccines are going to provide the long-term protection we need.”

Sir Patrick said it would have taken 20 years to develop a vaccine in the recent past and warned that it could not be developed in time for the current outbreak, expected to peak in the UK this summer.

“I don’t think we’ll get something in time or at scale for this outbreak,” he told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “That said, there have been remarkable changes in the ability to make vaccines and discover vaccines, just in the last few years.

“And it’s not unreasonable to assume that we will end up with a vaccine, and we may do so in a year, 18 months, which is remarkable when you consider just a few years ago it would have taken 20 years to do that.”

The Government’s key message to the public was to wash hands regularly and to avoid face-touching.

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