Jonathan Van-Tam cries in a new ‘behind-the-scenes’ film about the development of Covid vaccines

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Jonathan Van-Tam cries in a new ‘behind-the-scenes’ film about the development of Covid vaccines as he talks about the speed of the project

  • Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam got emotional during new film 
  • He teared up when speaking about the speed of the Covid vaccine project 
  • Revealed he had been inoculating patients every week or two since January

By Stephen Adams Medical Editor For The Mail On Sunday

Published: | Updated:

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam gets emotional in a new ‘behind-the-scenes’ film about the development of the Covid vaccines.

Professor Van-Tam, who has gained a reputation as a man with a way with words during regular Downing Street coronavirus press conference appearances, talks of his amazement at the speed of the vaccine project.

Appearing to almost shed a tear, he says: ‘Seeing the vaccine on the final stages of its journey, having been [involved] right back there in March [2020] when no one was thinking about vaccines, except just a few of us – to be there, and see it on the final stages of its journey, was … breathtaking.’ 

Professor Van-Tam talks of his amazement at the speed of the vaccine project and almost shed a tear during the film

He also revealed that he had himself been inoculating patients every week or two since January.

‘It’s marvellous to meet the staff, the volunteers and to see just how committed they are,’ he said. 

‘But it’s marvellous to meet the patients as well, for some of whom having that vaccine is really really exciting, and they see it as a potentially life-changing moment.’

Professor Van-Tam, who has gained a reputation as a man with a way with words during regular Downing Street coronavirus press conference appearances, talks of his amazement at the speed of the vaccine project

Professor Van-Tam, who has gained a reputation as a man with a way with words during regular Downing Street coronavirus press conference appearances, talks of his amazement at the speed of the vaccine project

The half-hour film, released by No 10 on Friday, features many of the main players in the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot congratulated the UK Government for recognising ‘very early on’ the need to develop and help fund several vaccines, to ensure it had at least one that worked.

‘The UK started working on vaccines almost immediately,’ he said.