Coronavirus spreads easily and the majority of the world's population is still vulnerable to it. 

There has not been a vaccine to treat affected patients. Which has led to deaths of multitudes across the globe.

Research is happening at high speed. About 80 groups around the world are researching vaccines and some are now entering clinical trials.

The Health secretary, Matt Hancock has announced that UK human trials of potential coronavirus vaccine developed at Oxford University are set to begin on Thursday, 24th April.

One of the members of the Oxford team said that if trials are successful, millions of doses of vaccine could be available for use by the autumn of this year. 

Matt Hancock, while speaking at the daily 10 Downing Street press conference, announced that the government was "throwing everything" at the vaccine, he said it is making £20m available to an Oxford team to accelerate trials for a coronavirus vaccine that will be trialled on people from Thursday.

According to an Oxford vaccinology, Prof. Sarah Gilbert, the vaccine being developed by her team could be ready for use as early as September, meanwhile an it takes nothing lesser than 18 months to search for an effective vaccine. 

Hancock said: "The team have accelerated that trials process, working with the regulator the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency), who have been brilliant. 

"As a result, I can announce that the vaccine from the Oxford project will be trialled in people from this Thursday."

"In normal times reaching this stage would take years and I am very proud the work undertaken so far. 

"In the long run, the best way to defeat coronavirus is through a vaccine.

"After all, this is a new disease, this is uncertain science, but I'm certain we will throw everything we've got at developing a vaccine.

"The UK is at the front of the global effort.

"We have put more money than any other country into a global search for a vaccine and, for all the efforts around the world, two of the leading vaccine developments are taking place here at home - at Oxford and Imperial.

"Both of these promising projects are making rapid progress and I've told the scientists leading them we will do everything in our power to support."

"After all, the upside of being the first country in the world to develop a successful vaccine is so huge that I am throwing everything at it."