Covid-19 Vaccine ‘Unlikely’ to Stop Disease Completely, Says Leading Scientist



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A coronavirus vaccine is “unlikely” to stop the disease entirely, said the UK government’s top scientific adviser.

In giving evidence to the Lords and Commons National Security Strategy Committee, Patrick Vallance said that only one disease, smallpox, had been completely eradicated.

He said that in the future, the treatment of Covid-19 could become more like seasonal flu.

Mr. Vallance told the committee: “I think it is unlikely that we will end up with a truly sterilizing vaccine that will completely stop the infection.

“This disease is likely to be circulating and endemic.

“My assessment, and I think that is the opinion of many people, is that this is the likely outcome.

“Clearly, as management improves, as you get a vaccine that will decrease the chance of infection and the severity of disease, or whatever the profile of the vaccines is, this is starting to look more like an annual flu than to anything else and that may be the direction we end up going. “

Vallance said it will become clear in the coming months if there are vaccines that protect and for how long.

He added that while several candidates cause an immune response, only phase three trials will indicate whether they prevent people from becoming infected.

Mr. Vallance said: “And we will find out in the coming months. And at that point we will also have a clearer idea about the safety profile of these vaccines and, from there, we can begin to see what a sensible vaccination strategy could be in the population. “

He told the committee that he thought it was “unlikely” that a vaccine would be available for “any kind of widespread community use” before at least the spring of next year.

But Vallance said there “may” be some doses before that, but that remains to be seen.

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