New coronavirus vaccine centre set to open in 2021 — a year ahead of schedule

0
218


A MULTI-MILLION pound investment will help in the race to manufacture millions of doses of a coronavirus vaccine.

Construction of a new dedicated centre is 12 months ahead of schedule and will have the ability to produce enough vaccines for the entire population in just six months.

How the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre in Oxfordshire will look

The new Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre based in Oxfordshire to open next year will also help increase the long-term capacity against any future viruses.

It will also help produce jabs for existing illnesses including the flu virus. A temporary facility will receive £38 million to begin manufacturing from this summer.

Ministers have also appointed Kate Bingham as chair of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce to lead efforts to find and manufacture a coronavirus outbreak.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “As the biggest contributor to the international coalition to find a vaccine, the UK is leading the global response.

“Once a breakthrough is made, we need to be ready to manufacture a vaccine by the millions.”

Meanwhile, a large scale study of coronavirus immunity is being launched to track its progress.

Twenty thousand people are being asked to take part with research measuring blood antibodies.

Experts will then be able to determine who has had the virus, how long it lasts and how it affects people differently.