Just so you understand the true dangers of coronavirus, consider that the above is a picture of a hedgehog before catching the virus.
Here’s what he looked like after coronavirus:
Coronavirus is a real disease harming real people and real hedgehogs.
But don’t worry, the government will save you by hacking your DNA through a mysterious liquid that they plan to put straight into your body through a syringe.
Oxford University’s coronavirus vaccine will most likely be rolled out in the ‘first few months’ of next year, according to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The jab was expected at the end of 2020 but its creators have tempered expectations and pushed it back to next year.
Mr Hancock said today he still had some optimism the most vulnerable people will get their hands on the vaccine in the coming months in a ‘best-case scenario’.
But he admitted the more likely outcome would be a 2021 roll out of the jab, known as AZD1222, which was created by Oxford and owned by UK drug giant AstraZeneca.
The Health Secretary revealed manufacturing was already underway in the UK for 30million doses, enough to vaccinate half the population.
They are not going to throw away doses. Their intent is to use all of those, and then make more.
He said that having them on standby meant they could be dished out to those most in need as soon as the vaccine is given the green light by regulators.
Speaking on LBC radio today, Mr Hancock said: ‘We have got 30 million doses already contracted with AstraZeneca.
‘In fact they are starting to manufacture those doses already, ahead of approval, so that should approval come through – and it’s still not certain but it is looking up – should that approval come through then we are ready to roll out.
‘The best-case scenario is that happens this year. I think more likely is the early part of next year – in the first few months of next year is the most likely.
‘But we’ve also bought vaccine ahead of it getting approved from a whole different series of international vaccines as well.’
It has not yet been proven that Oxford’s vaccine works but early trials have heralded promising results, with tests showing the vaccine is safe to use in humans and appears to provoke an immune response. But data that proves it protects people is not expected until later this year.
More than 50,000 people worldwide are taking part in ‘phase 3’ studies to see whether the Oxford jab can actually prevent people getting infected with Covid-19.
In these tests the vaccine is being given to tens of thousands of people in real-world environments to see if it stops them from catching Covid-19 in the community.
What if stopping people from catching coronavirus isn’t the most important thing you should look for when testing vaccines?
I’d consider that the base requirement, like when a drug needs to be proven to be better than a placebo. They should be looking at the long-term effects of the vaccine instead. But they’re doing the whole “oh noes we have to hurry because people are sneezing.”
What if people would rather not have mysterious long-term side effects that are impossible to track and blame on the vaccine than not catch coronavirus? The longer it is before the side effects become clear, the harder it is to blame something.
I’d rather catch coronavirus than get that vaccine.