Trials of a Covid-19 vaccine under development by AstraZeneca and Oxford University have been put on hold owing to a reported side effect in a patient in the UK.
AstraZeneca issued a statement last night saying the late-stage studies of the vaccine had been paused while the company investigates whether the patient's reported side effect is connected with the vaccine.
AstraZeneca did not reveal any information about the patient's condition other than to describe it as "a potentially unexplained illness".
News site Stat first reported the pause in testing and said the possible side effect occurred in a testing volunteer in Britain, who was expected to recover.