In a first, Oxford University to test COVID-19 vaccine response among children

AstraZeneca, the British maker of a Covid vaccine with Oxford University announced on Saturday that has launched a study to assess the safety and immune response of the jab in children for the first time.

The new mid-stage trial will determine whether the vaccine is effective on people between the ages of 6 and 17, according to an emailed statement from the university.

The two-dose Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been hailed as a 'vaccine for the world' because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals.

AstraZeneca has a target to produce 3 billion doses this year and aims to produce over 200 million doses per month by April.

The production of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has not been perfect but the shot will have a big impact on the pandemic, its chief executive said on Thursday, as the drugmaker pledged to double output by April and the African Union gave its backing for the shot.

The two-dose inoculation, developed with Oxford University, has been hailed as a "vaccine for the world" because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals.

But its rapid approval in Europe and elsewhere has been clouded by doubts over its most effective dosage and the interval between doses.

Data at the weekend also showed it was less effective against a fast-spreading variant of the virus in South Africa, prompting the country to pause the rollout of the shot. The company has also been embroiled in a row with the European Union oversupply delays but Soriot said AstraZeneca was working to ramp up output as fast as possible.