NEWS of the Bradford-trialled Novavax vaccine having 89 per cent effectiveness was welcomed last night, but when could it be brought into use?

The vaccine, which will be the fourth Covid-19 jab approved in the UK, cleared a major hurdle when late-stage trials revealed an 89 per cent effectiveness in preventing Covid - including the Kent and South African strains.

The UK has pre-ordered 60 million doses of the Novavax jab, which is being produced on Teesside, and following the results of these latest trails will now be assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency.

If the MHRA approves the vaccine, production will begin within weeks, however it will not start going into people's arms until the summer.

Bradford was one of the cities used to trial the vaccine, with more than 700 people in the district volunteering to take part in the pioneering tests.

Stan Erck, chief executive of Novavax, said the manufacturing plant in Stockton-on-Tees should be up and running by March or April, with the company hoping to get approval for the vaccine from the MHRA around the same time.

Two vaccines have already been rolled out in the UK – from Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca – while a third from Moderna has been approved for use and due for roll out in a couple of months' time.

The Novavax jab would be delivered in the second half of 2021 if it receives MHRA approval.

The chairman of the Government’s Vaccine Taskforce, Clive Dix, said the results were “spectacular”, adding: “The efficacy shown against the emerging variants is also extremely encouraging.

“This is an incredible achievement that will ensure we can protect individuals in the UK and the rest of the world from this virus.”

It comes as doctors in Bradford celebrate this latest milestone for Novavax, and medical leaders in Bradford telling Councillors there was "no evidence" that claims the district's vaccine supply was being halved.

As of yesterday, 1.04 million people in Yorkshire and the North East have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 71,909 people have received their second dose and are now vaccinated and have full protection against the virus.