Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial on hold not necessarily a setback: UK Health Minister

On Tuesday, AstraZeneca announced that "as parts of the randomized, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data." The nature of the suspected serious adverse reaction was not immediately known.

Asked if the pharmaceutical´s decision to pause the trial was a setback, Hancock told Sky News broadcaster: "Not necessarily, it depends on what they find when they do the investigation."

According to him, it is not the first time the Oxford vaccine clinical trials, which started weeks ago, has been put on hold and claimed it is a standard procedure in this type of study.

"There was a pause earlier in the summer and that was resolved without a problem," Hancock added.

The vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the Oxford University's Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group is in phase 3 trials, which is the final stage before safety and efficacy data can be submitted to health regulators for approval.

More than 50,000 people worldwide have been taking part in the clinical studies to see whether the candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, can develop an immune response to the COVID-19.