The UK will receive 30million doses of a coronavirus vaccine "by September" if it is proven to work, a government minister announced today.
Alok Sharma said Oxford University, one of two universities trialling a vaccine in the UK, has finalised a global licensing agreement with pharma giant AstraZeneca.
The Business Secretary claimed the deal means that if the vaccine passes trials - "and it is a big if" - the firm would produce 100million doses.
As part of this, AstraZeneca would "work to" make 30million doses available for the UK "by September", he said. The cost is not known, but Mr Sharma told the daily No10 press conference: "The UK will be first to get access".