Coronavirus in Moray: Potential Covid vaccine welcomed

A local politician has welcomed today’s news of a potential vaccine for Covid-19.

Pfizer and BioNTech have stated that preliminary analysis suggests their Covid-19 vaccine can prevent 90 per cent of people getting the virus.

Jamie Halcro Johnston, whose Highlands and Islands ward includes Moray, said: "This is extremely significant news and should provide real hope that a vaccine will be available to roll out in the not too distant future.

"It is also great news that the UK Government has confirmed that they have procured 40 million doses of the new vaccine, with 10 million doses by the end of this year if the vaccine is approved.

"There is real cause for optimism that we may have reached a turning point in this crisis, one which has impacted so much on all our lives."

Dr Albert Bourla, the chairman and chief executive of Pfizer, said: "Today is a great day for science and humanity."

Peter Horby, professor of emerging diseases at Oxford University, said: "This news made me smile from ear to ear.

"It is a relief to see such positive results on this vaccine and bodes well for Covid-19 vaccines in general.

"Of course we need to see more detail and await the final results, and there is a long, long way to go before vaccines will start to make a real difference, but this feels to me like a watershed moment."

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