Molecular virologist, Shiu-Wan Chan, was interviewed by Sarah Hewson live on Sky News on the historic day the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved

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Shiu-Wan talked about the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine as a new platform for vaccine production.  We never have an RNA vaccine before so if it works it is great.  This new platform offers low cost, speed, flexibility and adaptability to keep pace with the virus mutation.  The speed that it took from phase 1/2 to phase 3 and now rolling out to national immunization programme is amazing- 4 months.  Since it is a new platform, we must be careful about the long-term side effects and whether it can offer long-term protection.  A good vaccine must be able to protect for at least 6 months and there should be no re-infection.  It also needs to be able to protect a range of target populations including the elderly, immunocompromised, immunosuppressed and people with co-morbidities.  Shiu-Wan also talked about reduction of onward transmission and vaccine-associated herd immunity.