Life could return to normal by Spring, a leading scientist who advises the government has said, following the announcement from Pfizer that its coronavirus vaccine is more than 90% effective in preventing the disease.
Professor Sir John Bell, Regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, said it was a “major step” in the fight against the pandemic.
Asked by BBC Radio 4′s World at One programme if it meant life in the UK could return to normal by Spring, he said: “Yes. Yes. Yes. I am probably the first guy to say that. But I will say that with some confidence.”
Bell, the government’s life science adviser who also sits on the UK’s vaccine task force, said there was “no other really obvious way” to for society to get “on top” of Covid-19.
“I am really delighted with this result,” he said. “It shows you can make a vaccine against this little critter.”
He added that while people were getting used to “overstatements” about optimistic outcomes, “this one is pretty close to the mark” as 90% effectiveness was an “amazing level”.
“I can’t see any reason now why you shouldn’t have a handful of good vaccines available for this disease,” he said.
Bell noted several diseases, including HIV and Malaria, still do not have a vaccine.
Dr Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and chief executive, said: “Today is a great day for science and humanity.”
Downing Street said the UK will have procured 10 million doses by the end of the year to be given out if it is approved. The UK has secured 40 million doses in total of the vaccine.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The results are promising and while we are optimistic of a breakthrough, we must remember there are no guarantees.”
The prime minister will hold a press conference at 5pm on Monday afternoon.
Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be able to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
The vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised.
Concerns have been raised about the logistical challenges associated with the vaccine, with the BBC reporting that it needs to be kept in ultra-cold storage at below -80C, while the WSJ said it was around -70C.
But Bell said wile distribution would be “challenging” he was confident governments would “solve these things if we have to”.
He added the UK was “very well prepared to get access to this vaccine when it becomes available”.