Oxford’s own Superheroes (and not a cape in sight) - March 28 - 7.36pm - 2022

Modest heroes behind the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine

Billed as ‘The Race Against the Virus: A Tribute to the Oxford Vaccine Team’ it was all suits, smiles and grateful applause for the five individuals who quite frankly have not only made history but probably saved it too for millions around the world. And the setting was perfect: Sheldonian Theatre, Lord Patten and journalist Nick Higham effortlessly overseeing a gently understated but clearly heart-felt celebration of scientific brilliance to a sell-out audience reverentially hanging on each participants every word. For these were the leading members of the vaccine team that developed and tested the successful Oxford Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine - Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Sir Andrew Pollard, Professor Sir John Bell, Professor Teresa Lambe and Professor Catherine Green. As you’re doubtless aware, the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine was developed extraordinarily quickly and was one of the first to be approved for COVID-19. Indeed, by summer 2021, one billion doses of the vaccine had been released and quickly became the basis for not only the UK’s vaccination programme but globally a quarter of the world’s. No great surprise then that when Lord Patten, Chancellor of Oxford University, gave his introduction, he declared “the whole world profoundly grateful”. There were, not surprisingly, no great dramatic revelations made of the personal sacrifices each and every individual had to make in order to develop the vaccine under such an extraordinary time scale. Rather, just a quiet, respectful and almost embarrassed acknowledgement that they were just doing their jobs. For me, personally, this will undoubtedly prove the highlight of this year’s festival. It was, I gather, rather a last minute race to get all the key players together for this event (afterward the team was also awarded the Festival’s inaugural science and innovation award) but the standing ovation awarded at the end by a hugely grateful audience said it all.