Billionaire scientist behind Pfizer and BioNTech's breakthrough Covid-19 vaccine claims it will 'bash the virus over the head' and end the pandemic
One of the leading scientists behind Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine claims it will 'bash the virus over the head' and end the pandemic.
Billionaire Uğur Şahin, the chief executive of German firm BioNTech, said: 'If the question is whether we can stop this pandemic with this vaccine, then my answer is: yes.'
But scientists globally - and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson - have cautioned the jab will not be a silver bullet because there are still no guarantees it will work, even though the preliminary news from the trial was a light at the end of the tunnel.
There are still a number of unanswered questions, including whether the jab works in older people - considering most of the trial volunteers were young and healthy.
Full data is expected within the next three weeks, Mr Şahin said. It is expected to be able to prevent illness but whether the jab can stop people carrying the coronavirus and spreading it to others may not be known for a year, he admitted.
BioNTech and Pfizer announced on Monday their jointly developed vaccine candidate had outperformed expectations in the crucial phase three trials, proving 90 per cent effective in stopping people from falling ill.
The major breakthrough means people could begin getting vaccinated before the year is out, if regulators are satisfied with the safety of the jab.
In an interview with The Guardian, Mr Şahin said he hoped the vaccine would offer at least a year of protection, suggesting an annual booster would be necessary.
No10 has secured a deal for 40million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which will protect 20million people at an estimated cost of £600million.
Boris Johnson promised the UK will be at the 'front of the pack' for it but tempered expectations, warning the vaccine will not deliver a 'knockout blow' to coronavirus.
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