Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder says normal life could return by next winter  

16 Nov Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder says normal life could return by next winter  

The impact of a new Covid-19 vaccine could return life in the world to normal by next winter, one of its creators has said.

Prof Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder, said the jab could halve transmission of the virus, resulting in a “dramatic reduction in cases”.

Last week, BioNTech and co-developers Pfizer said preliminary analysis showed their vaccine could prevent more than 90% of people from getting Covid-19. About 43,000 people took part in tests.

He said he expected further analysis to show the vaccine would reduce transmission between people as well as stop symptoms developing in someone who has had the vaccine.

“I’m very confident that transmission between people will be reduced by such a highly effective vaccine – maybe not 90% but maybe 50% – but we should not forget that even that could result in a dramatic reduction of the pandemic spread,” he told BBC.

He added that so far the side-effects of the Covid-19 vaccine could include a mild to moderate fever, of up to two days.