Extra cash to target new variants will future-proof UK – minister Published

Extra funding to fast-track new vaccines will help "future-proof" the UK against new coronavirus variants, the vaccines minister has said. 

Existing vaccines protect against variants such as the one found in Kent, but experts say the UK needs to be prepared as the virus keeps mutating. 

Nadhim Zahawi said the £29.3m funding increase would boost testing facilities at Porton Down research laboratory.

Separately, he said booster jabs would be ready to deploy from September.

Asked about reports in the Times that third jabs would be given to over-50s and those with underlying health conditions in the autumn, the vaccines minister said no decision had been made yet.

Mr Zahawi told BBC Breakfast the booster programme could begin in September "or later in the year, or early next year".

He said clinicians would consider how well the protection from vaccines had lasted when deciding when to begin rolling out the programme.

Clinical trials will also be looking at the evidence on mixing different vaccines to see what will offer the most protection.

The vaccines minister also confirmed there would be an update from the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps later this week about England restarting international travel.

Meanwhile, the government said its extra funding – on top of £19.7m already promised – would also aid vaccine manufacture and allow scientists to accelerate the pace and scale of their work.

The cash will allow scientists to test 3,000 blood samples a week, up from 700 at the moment, to measure the levels of protective antibodies against Covid-19 generated by different vaccines.