COVID vaccine scientist hopes for return to ‘normal’ by next winter

LONDON — If coronavirus vaccinations are rolled out widely, life could return to “normal” by next winter, one of the scientists behind the front-running coronavirus vaccine tells British television.

Ugur Sahin, the Turkish co-founder of German firm BioN, tells the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that “this winter will be hard,” without any major impact from vaccinations.

Together with US giant Pfizer, BioN is developing the leading candidate in the worldwide chase for a vaccine.

“If all goes well, we will start to deliver the vaccine at the end of this year, or beginning of next year,” Sahin says.

“Our goal is to deliver more than 300 million doses by April next year, which could already have an impact,” he says.

The infection rate will then go down in the summer, he predicts, adding that it is essential that there is a high take-up of the vaccination by autumn.

“I’m confident that this will happen,” he says.

A number of vaccination companies are working to increase the supply, he says: “so we could have a normal winter next (year).”

— AFP