THE Health Secretary is in Glasgow today where he praised the UK's speedy process for approving Covid vaccines which combat variants. 

Matt Hancock said there will be a fast-track approach to approving new vaccines for coronavirus variants.

During a visit to Glasgow Lighthouse Lab, the Health Secretary said: "We will have a fast-track approach to safely approving future vaccines that work against a variant of Covid-19.

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"The vaccine programme has clearly been a huge UK success story, and part of the reason that we have been able to develop the vaccines so far so quickly is because of the MHRA's rigorous yet flexible approach, which has been based entirely on looking as quickly as possible at the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

"I'm delighted that they're taking that same principled approach to the approval process for vaccines that may work against variants."

MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said there is no evidence that current vaccines are lacking effectiveness against known coronavirus variants.

She said during a briefing with Health Secretary Matt Hancock: "Since December last year we have all been concerned about the appearance of variants - Kent, South Africa, more recently Brazil - and therefore we're well-prepared to look at, when it's needed, updates to ensure the vaccines being used in citizens are fully effective.

"Our goal is to ensure that the vaccine modifications in future that respond to the new variants can be available in the shortest possible time but without compromising in any way on safety, on quality and on effectiveness.

"What I would emphasise at the outset is that we don't have evidence at the moment that the vaccines in use in the UK are significantly lacking in effectiveness but we are now well-prepared."

MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said coronavirus vaccine modifications will follow a similar authorisation process as flu jabs variants.

She said those which have been authorised but need to be modified for new Covid-19 strains will not need a "brand new approval".

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"Of course there will be checks on manufacture, on safety, on quality, but we will be using the approach that's been very successful for flu jabs," she said.

"Every year there's a tried and tested regulatory process for the seasonal flu vaccines so that they match the strains circulating each year."

Mr Hancock said: "I very much hope that as we are able to lift restrictions then we are all able to travel across the UK.

"I'm confident because of the vaccine we will be able to make that progress and then be able to, all of us, to travel freely wherever we are within these islands.

"One of the factors that we have to be vigilant about in that road map is the emergence of new variants, in case the current vaccines are not as effective.

"I've said before that I'm optimistic for a great British summer and I'm now more optimistic about having a great British summer than I have been at any time, thanks to the speed and the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout.

"By great British summer, I absolutely mean people being able to enjoy travel across the whole of the UK.

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"The travel rules for Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Government, but I think we can all see that we can make a stride down that roadmap thanks to the speed of the vaccine rollout."

The MHRA CEO has said "difficult judgments" will have to be made about the deployment of any modified coronavirus vaccines.

Dr Raine said: "We turn to the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, who have a wealth of data to try and make these judgments.

"They are difficult judgments and we know that age is the prime risk.

"What we will do, if and when the situation arises that we need to move rapidly to deploy a vaccine that's effective against variants, we will be working closely to ensure that JCBI is absolutely ready to give the right advice on how it should be deployed.

"It will be done in the same independent way in terms of our own decision but working closely with the authorities that have to make these decisions about deployment."

Mr Hancock said the strength of the UK's vaccine rollout has benefited from a four-nation approach to deployment, as he discussed the potential for modified vaccines to deal with new strains.

He said: "The priority order for everybody has been the same no matter where you live across the UK.

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"I think that's been one of the strengths of the rollout, meaning that everybody knows where they stand in terms of the order of the queue and everybody knows that the queue is guided by the best clinical advice."

Dr Raine said: "We don't have evidence at this moment that any of the vaccines in deployment are significantly lacking in effectiveness.

"They're effective against Kent and we believe South Africa.

"We know that there has been some data from South Africa, we believe effectiveness here is maintained, and we're working hard on the Brazil variant.

"As of today there's no imperative that we fast-track a new variant-effective vaccine - but we are prepared."

She added her thanks to authorities across Scotland who have been gathering data on the vaccine effectiveness.

Dr Raine said: "That data has given assurance, not just to the MHRA, but to jurisdictions and countries around the world."