Covid-19 Update

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 1:30 pm on 2 February 2021.

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Photo of Matthew Hancock Matthew Hancock Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 1:30, 2 February 2021

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to ask this critical question. We are doing a huge amount with the scientists and the pharmaceutical industry to develop modified vaccines should they be necessary. We are also monitoring the results of work to understand the efficacy of the existing vaccines against the variants of concern. We do not have a point estimate for the difference in the efficacy of the vaccine. The efficacy needs to be measured both in terms of someone’s likelihood of catching the disease and in terms of their likelihood of being hospitalised or dying from the disease. There is a significant amount of work under way to understand all those things, both in labs and in the field. For instance, AstraZeneca has a trial in South Africa that it is revisiting to understand the progress of those who were vaccinated as part of the trial. We will publish as much information as we get as soon as we credibly can. I wish I could give a number in answer to the hon. Lady’s very astute question, but unfortunately it is not scientifically credibly available yet.