Press conference this evening

[bathsh3ba]

Do we think this will be a vaccine update, a change to rules or just waffle?

I think 5m people in the next month and a half would be pretty great?

It is, 5m of the most exposed and the most vulnerable people in society...in the next few months...how is that something to complain about?

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Vaccines at this stage are a red herring. There is no evidence that any of them protect against Covid. They provoke an immune response, but that's not the same thing. About 9 out of 10 vaccines that reach this stage of development turn out to be useless. If the current vaccines make any difference, it is probably marginal and short-lasting.

I think it probably does make sense to offer the vaccine to very vulnerable people on the off-chance that they work. We wouldn't normally do that but, given how dangerous Covid is for the elderly/vulnerable, it's justifiable to offer them the vaccine in the hope it might reduce risk to some extent. But the current vaccines are not going to get life back to normal for the rest of us.

I think an effective vaccine will probably be developed, but we are not there yet. It is cruel - but sadly typical of Johnson - to offer people false hope.

Have you read any of the coverage of this today, or do you just have a cut and paste on vaccines that you've been using for months?!

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Vaccines at this stage are a red herring. There is no evidence that any of them protect against Covid. They provoke an immune response, but that's not the same thing. About 9 out of 10 vaccines that reach this stage of development turn out to be useless. If the current vaccines make any difference, it is probably marginal and short-lasting.

I think it probably does make sense to offer the vaccine to very vulnerable people on the off-chance that they work. We wouldn't normally do that but, given how dangerous Covid is for the elderly/vulnerable, it's justifiable to offer them the vaccine in the hope it might reduce risk to some extent. But the current vaccines are not going to get life back to normal for the rest of us.

I think an effective vaccine will probably be developed, but we are not there yet. It is cruel - but sadly typical of Johnson - to offer people false hope.

Honestly

Here are the details from Pfizer for MissLucy

@Ijustcantcope

That articles says UK will get 10m doses by the end of the year so that’s enough to vaccinate 5m people. Not great really

What a glass half empty approach to life. 5 million doses before Xmas for a virus that did not exist 12 months ago is a magnificent achievement

What fabulous news. Fucking brilliant. Yes yes yes yes. Fucking yes.

Always one!

Ah, yes - pesky facts. Mustn't let those get in the way.

I get that people want good news. But, in the long-run, it's much crueller to give people false hope. We have been here many times before - with HIV, type 1 diabetes and many other conditions. A vaccine shows promise in the lab, but turns out not to be effective.

No one has ever developed an effective vaccine against a coronavirus. Unlike quite a lot of my colleagues, I do think we will get one against Covid, because of the sheer level of resource being thrown at it. But we are not there yet. If we are lucky, the current vaccines will turn out to have some protective effect, and can then be refined. That in itself would be a huge achievement in the time scale.

But, if you prefer to believe Boris' half-truths, be my guest.

@MrsMichaelPalin

No doubt, he will be trying to claim credit for the vaccine even though he has absolutely nothing got to do with it *

*The fact he has nothing to do with it gives us hope - it might work !

Hang on, you can’t hold him responsible for ppe and track and trace and then not give credit for the good stuff too.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Always one!

Ah, yes - pesky facts. Mustn't let those get in the way.

I get that people want good news. But, in the long-run, it's much crueller to give people false hope. We have been here many times before - with HIV, type 1 diabetes and many other conditions. A vaccine shows promise in the lab, but turns out not to be effective.

No one has ever developed an effective vaccine against a coronavirus. Unlike quite a lot of my colleagues, I do think we will get one against Covid, because of the sheer level of resource being thrown at it. But we are not there yet. If we are lucky, the current vaccines will turn out to have some protective effect, and can then be refined. That in itself would be a huge achievement in the time scale.

But, if you prefer to believe Boris' half-truths, be my guest.

Have you heard the news today from Pfizer?

It’s not Johnson

@sashagabadon - completely agree, if the figure holds as 90% or even slightly lower it’s an amazing achievement. Also as it’s one of the new type of RNA vaccines it’s a really great achievement for advancement of vaccines generally

Where do you see the flaws in that Pfizer protocol and result MissLucy?

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Always one!

Ah, yes - pesky facts. Mustn't let those get in the way.

I get that people want good news. But, in the long-run, it's much crueller to give people false hope. We have been here many times before - with HIV, type 1 diabetes and many other conditions. A vaccine shows promise in the lab, but turns out not to be effective.

No one has ever developed an effective vaccine against a coronavirus. Unlike quite a lot of my colleagues, I do think we will get one against Covid, because of the sheer level of resource being thrown at it. But we are not there yet. If we are lucky, the current vaccines will turn out to have some protective effect, and can then be refined. That in itself would be a huge achievement in the time scale.

But, if you prefer to believe Boris' half-truths, be my guest.

Look at the news. It’s global. Nothing to do with BOJO.

Study Protocol here

On a side note.

Do you think with a successful vaccine this means that face masks, social distancing, scrubbing hands with sanitiser will be faded out? Or are all of those here to stay regardless?

I’m a little annoyed the Oxford vaccine did not announce first as that would have been great for the U.K. but will get over it

I get that people want good news. But, in the long-run, it's much crueller to give people false hope. We have been here many times before - with HIV, type 1 diabetes and many other conditions. A vaccine shows promise in the lab, but turns out not to be effective.

This are the results of phase 3 clinical trials, 43,000 people have recieved it. This isn't "showing promise in the lab".

There are 15 million people in the front line and over age 65.....realistically its going to take some time.....

She’s gone very quiet.. maybe she’s actually read the news ..

Is the Company that discovered this vaccine an USA company?

@WindChimeTinkle

What fabulous news. Fucking brilliant. Yes yes yes yes. Fucking yes.

Calm down!! It's only a vaccine that may or may not work. Anyone would think it's a win on the lottery.

@Kerry987

Is the Company that discovered this vaccine an USA company?

BioNTech developed the vaccine and is a Germany biotechnology company.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Always one!

Ah, yes - pesky facts. Mustn't let those get in the way.

I get that people want good news. But, in the long-run, it's much crueller to give people false hope. We have been here many times before - with HIV, type 1 diabetes and many other conditions. A vaccine shows promise in the lab, but turns out not to be effective.

No one has ever developed an effective vaccine against a coronavirus. Unlike quite a lot of my colleagues, I do think we will get one against Covid, because of the sheer level of resource being thrown at it. But we are not there yet. If we are lucky, the current vaccines will turn out to have some protective effect, and can then be refined. That in itself would be a huge achievement in the time scale.

But, if you prefer to believe Boris' half-truths, be my guest.

These aren't lab results. These interim data are from a large-scale, real world phase 3 randomised controlled trial, with over 40,000 participants.

The NHS vaccine distribution plan leaked a few weeks back and it's genuinely excellent and well planned out. It's plan is clearly for a distribution of both the Pfizer/Biontech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. The excellent news from P/Bt today was expected and has been planned for, for several months now. (Not the amazing news that their vaccine appears to show 90% efficacy, it was expected to be positive but today's news is beyond wildest dreams positive.) This is the beginning of the end, though the next few months will be extremely tough.

What time is the news conference meant to be?

@funkyfruitloops and @booboo24 same here.
Am better off than many, and trying to feel grateful for what I have, but am scared about the future (work wise, not scared about actually getting the virus at all)
I’m self employed, and trying to get myself motivated, but it’s so difficult to concentrate.