Scientists on Britain’s Science and Technology Committee have raised hopes of finding a successful Covid-19 vaccine, saying that the coronavirus is “more similar to other viral infections than it is different”.
Leading virus academics spoke about the response to the coronavirus pandemic via videoconference on Monday afternoon.
“Coronaviruses as a class and Covid-19 in particular – they do have unique features to them but they are more similar to other viral infections than they are different,” professor Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, said on the call.
“And they do produce the same general types of immune response that gives you hope that a vaccine might well work in this setting.”
Professor Massimo Palmarini, director of the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Virus Research, echoed Mr Bell’s sentiments.
“What brings optimism for many of us is that virus behaves as an acute respiratory infection and it induces a human antibody response – T-cell [cell central to immune response] responses overall that most patients are able to overcome.
“There are many aspects that one would think would lead to the possible host immune responses to provide for the development of a vaccine,” he added.
Mr Bell said that the reason why older people are more likely to be die from the virus than young people is likely because of the state of the person’s immune system.
“Seventy per cent of people who get this disease are asymptomatic. On one end of the spectrum, it’s not a bad viral disease and on the other end it is terrible.
“Understanding those age differences I think are pretty central and I would be surprised if the human immune system wasn’t central to that.”
Professor Adrian Hayday, chair in the department of immunobiology at King's College London, said more studies were needed on the interaction between the immune system and blood-clotting, as these were factors in causing death from Covid-19.
There are more than 200 candidates for a Covid-19 vaccine. On Monday, a Chinese biotech firm announced positive early results for its prototype, claiming it induced an immune response in 90 per cent of those who were given it. The vaccine, called CoronaVac is being developed by the company Sinovac.
On Saturday, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca agreed with Europe’s Inclusive Vaccines Alliance to supply up to 400 million doses of the experimental Covid-19 vaccine it was making in collaboration with Oxford University.
The alliance, forged by France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands to speed up production of a vaccine, is set to take delivery of the medicine by the end of this year. The four countries agreed to pay an initial €750 million (Dh3.1 billion) for 300 million doses, Reuters reported. The countries will have an option to buy another 100 million doses.
Despite the positive results in the race for inoculation against the virus, many believe it will probably be at least another year before a safe and effective vaccine is widely available to the public.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UAE%20ILT20
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
