[ad_1]
The UK government announced £ 20m funding on Tuesday for an Oxford University project working on the development of a vaccine against the new coronavirus, which is now ready for acceleration as trials begin in humans starting Thursday.
Follow the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at the Downing Street daily briefing that the Health Department was “throwing it all away” in trying to find a vaccine because it is a critical aspect of fighting the COVID pandemic- 19 and is lifting stringent blockade measures to curb its spread
A further £ 22.5 million is made available to Imperial College London to support their phase two clinical trials so they can begin work on a very large phase three trial.
“Normally it would take years to get to this point,” Hancock said.
“The UK is at the forefront of the global effort: We have invested more money than anyone else in the global search for a vaccine. None of this is inevitable. Vaccine production is a matter of trial and error. But the UK does. he will throw away everything he has to try to find one, ”he said.
Also Read: Coronavirus India Update: Total Number of Confirmed Cases, Deaths by State
The announcement came as Britain had another major daily jump in the number of hospital deaths from coronavirus, a rise from 823 to 17,337 on Tuesday.
But the cabinet minister said the government’s plan to control the rapid spread of the virus and prevent the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) from being overwhelmed as the number of hospitalizations with COVID-19 shows a trajectory. falling.
Referring to a major problem in recent weeks of a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors and nurses on the front line of COVID-19 treatment, the minister said supply problems are being addressed by getting involved actively with thousands of companies, including 159 UK manufacturers.
“We are determined to provide people with the PPE they need. This is a 24/7 operation, one of the largest intergovernmental operations I have ever seen, “Hancock said.
