Coronavirus vaccine won’t be available until 2022, UK medical chief says

Scott Morrison raised hopes by claiming a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready next year. But we could be waiting a lot longer.

A top medical expert has poured cold water on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s claims a coronavirus vaccine could be rolled in 2021.

According to the UK’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty, despite the frenzy surrounding the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine trial, the world could be waiting until 2022 for the breakthrough.

Professor Whitty told reporters this weekend that it was “reasonable’’ to expect it to take at least another 12 months before any COVID-19 vaccine was deemed safe enough to be distributed, estimating it could be ready after next Christmas.

“I would obviously be delighted if a vaccine came earlier rather than later but I’d be quite surprised if we had a highly effective vaccine ready for mass use in a large percentage of the population before the end of (the UK) winter, certainly before this side of Christmas,” he said.

“I think it is unlikely we will have a vaccine that is highly effective and ready to deploy at scale this (northern hemisphere) winter meaning 2020/21. I think there is a reasonable chance that we will have vaccines, not a certainty, in the period before the following northern hemisphere winter of 2021/22.”

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently toured the Astra Zeneca laboratories in Sydney. Picture: Nick Moir

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In other words, we could be waiting until after Christmas 2021 before any vaccine hopes are realised as researchers work around the clock to beat the lethal virus.

And Prof Witty’s claims are especially sobering as he has insight into the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine trial, which is in stage three – which Australian leaders hope could vaccinate the whole nation.

“A lot of people are doing a huge amount scientifically, logistically to make sure that’s a pessimistic statement, to try and see if we can get a vaccine at extraordinarily fast speed, but we have to check it works and we have to make sure it’s safe,” Prof Whitty said.

“So I think if we look forward a year, the chances are much greater than if we look forward six months.

“We should plan on the basis we will not have a vaccine and then if one does prove to be effective and safe and available, we’re in a strong position to be able to use it.’’

Prof Whitty said he believed “in the long-term in the ability of science to get us out of this hole’’ but said there would not be an immediate solution.

THE TRIAL

Last week, news.com.au revealed the Morrison Government had made a deal that would see Australians be among the first in the world to receive the University of Oxford vaccine if trials proved successful.

“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in world, and under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian,” Scott Morrison said in a statement.

He said Australia had signed a “letter of intent” with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to supply the vaccine candidate to Australia. A contract has also been signed with Becton Dickinson for the supply of needles and syringes.

“Today is a day of hope, and Australia needs hope, the world needs hope, when it comes to this coronavirus,” Mr Morrison told reporters last Wednesday, adding the vaccine could be made available as early as next year.

“If it can be done sooner than that, great,” he said.