A coronavirus vaccine roll-out could be a step closer after the regulator was formally asked by the Government to assess the Oxford University and AstraZeneca jab.The move 'marks a significant first step in getting the vaccine approved for deployment' if it meets the necessary standards, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are working tirelessly to be in the best possible position to deploy a vaccine as soon as one is approved by the independent regulator the MHRA.“We have formally asked the regulator to assess the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, to understand the data and determine whether it meets rigorous safety standards.”It comes a week after the Medicines and Healthcare products.