Top UK scientist: ’80 percent’ confident a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by September | TheHill – The Hill

One of Britain's top scientists is "80 percent" confident that a vaccine for COVID-19, which has killed over 108,000 people globally, could be ready by September.

Oxford Universityvaccinology professor Sarah Gilbert told the Times of London Saturday thatif everything goes perfectly" her team's vaccine could be ready by the fall, The Washington Post reported.

I know quite a lot about the Oxford project, and it is really great to see some hope, especially on the front page of the newspapers,Matt Hancock, the U.K.'s health secretary,told the Post.

There are dozens of teamsin various countries globallytrying to come up with a working vaccine for the pandemic that hasplagued the world the past several months.

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciWaPo: Trump allegedly asked Fauci if officials could let coronavirus 'wash over' US Top UK scientist: '80 percent' confident a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by September Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers, health officials address fallout from coronavirus pandemic MORE, member of the White House coronavirus task force and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and other top U.S. health experts have previously stated thatit could take researchers 18 months to create aworking vaccine.

Gilbert told the London newspaper that human trials of the vaccine are starting in the next two weeks.

I think theres a high chance that it will work, based on other things that we have done with this type of vaccine, Gilbert said. Its not just a hunch, and as every week goes by, we have more data to look at."

The newspaper noted however, that even if an effective vaccine is created by September, it will be difficult to produce it en masse.

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Top UK scientist: '80 percent' confident a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by September | TheHill - The Hill