Kate Garraway explains exactly how the coronavirus vaccine works on the body as mass roll out edges closer
KATE Garraway has explained exactly how the coronavirus vaccine works on the body as a mass roll out edges closer.
The 53-year-old's husband Derek has remained in intensive care following his coronavirus battle as she reports on the pandemic on Good Morning Britain.
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And she shared the latest update on the pandemic after scientists claimed the Pfizer vaccine is 95 per cent effective.
Kate explained how a vaccine would safely teach our bodies to fight Covid-19 by stopping us catching the virus or making it less deadly.
She said: "Scientists take the part of the virus's genetic code with the distinctive spike protein. They then put this into a fat droplet that is injected into the patient.
"The code triggers the immune cells in the patient's body to make the spike protein. So, the immune system then reacts to the presence of the spike protein, by making antibodies which then go on to block the virus and the T cells which destroy infected cells.
"If the real virus appears in a body then these antibodies and T cells will fight it."
She added: "Complicated but also fascinating and it looks like a strong hope".
Pfizer was the first company to report its vaccine is effective, with its latest data showing the jab is 95 per cent effective at preventing Covid-19.
On Monday, Moderna followed suit and become the second firm to announce their jab is 94.5 per cent effective. Their vaccine is yet to pass the final safety check stage.
Now the latest results from a new Oxford jab - thought to be among the front runners - has raised hopes that we could have three approved jabs within weeks.
The UK Government has 100million doses of the jab pre-ordered, with four million of those likely to be available by Christmas - if it's given the green light.
Oxford Uni's Covid vaccine triggers an immune response in all ages - including the elderly, new results published today reveal.
In a major breakthrough it was found to "trigger a robust immune response" with no serious side effects in those aged 56-79 and the over 70s.
Last month, Kate told The Sun that Derek had mouthed the word "pain" - his first word after 214 days in intensive care.