The race for the coronavirus vaccine could make the pandemic worse

The global race for a coronavirus vaccine could make the pandemic worse, leading scientists warn.

Experts advising the World Health Organization say that an ineffective vaccine is worse than no vaccine, as it would make people complacent.

A leading Oxford University scientist also attacked the ‘capitalist’ race to find a cure for Covid-19.

Ministers announced on Friday that the UK would take emergency powers to push any vaccine through regulatory processes.

A prominent Oxford University scientist also attacked the ‘capitalist’ race to find a cure for Covid-19 (stock photo)

Donald Trump has also said that a vaccine could be available in the United States before the November 3 presidential election.

But experts have advised the WHO to be cautious.

The Solidarity Vaccine Trials Expert Group warned: ‘Deploying a weakly effective vaccine could worsen the Covid-19 pandemic if authorities mistakenly assume it causes a substantial reduction in risk, or if vaccinated people mistakenly believe they are immune. ‘.

They recommend that a vaccine be at least 50% effective to be approved.

Oxford University epidemiologist Sir Richard Peto added that rushing to approve a vaccine could set a poor benchmark for future vaccines.

He told The Guardian: ‘I think there is a big rush, a somewhat nationalistic rush and also a somewhat capitalistic rush, to be absolutely the first to register a vaccine, and it will actually make it more difficult to evaluate other vaccines.

“We need a vaccine that works and we need it soon.”

But he cautioned: “We really need some pretty strong evidence of efficacy.”

He added that if a low-efficacy vaccine were approved, it would set the standard that all future vaccines would be measured by