The British government has pre-ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, enough to immunise 50 million people, pending approval by regulatory authorities.
A large-scale trial has shown the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine stops 70% of people developing Covid symptoms, according to a BBC report.
More than 20 000 volunteers were involved, half in the UK, the rest in Brazil. There were 30 cases of Covid in people who were given two doses of the vaccine and 101 cases in people who received a dummy injection.
BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher writes that the outcome will be seen as both a triumph and a disappointment after vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna showed 95% protection. However, the Oxford jab is far cheaper, and is easier to store and get to every corner of the world than the other two.
The report says intriguing data suggests that perfecting the dose could increase protection up to 90%.
Regulators have yet to approve the vaccine, but the British government has pre-ordered 100 million doses.
The report says Britain is set for an unprecedented mass immunisation campaign that dwarfs either the annual flu or childhood vaccination programmes.
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