Chief Medical Officer 'more optimistic' about an effective coronavirus vaccine
The Chief Medical Officer for Wales says he is more 'optimistic' about a coronavirus vaccine than he was six months ago.
Speaking at Wednesday's coronavirus press conference, he said vaccines could be ready for some people in the ''early part of next year'' if trials continue to progress well.
However on Tuesday, the first minister said a vaccine which would bring the coronavirus pandemic to an end is ''quite a way away.''
Mark Drakeford said the public would have to learn to live with the virus and accept a re-escalation of restrictions for "quite a while yet", while suggesting the first immunisations could only protect a person for a matter of weeks.
It comes as restrictions remain in place across 15 local authority areas and in Llanelli following sharp and sudden increases in the virus.
Dr Frank Atherton also said more local restrictions would not be ruled out, but dismissed any plans for ''circuit breaks'' for students to coincide with autumn half term.
''We're not ruling out further restrictions, we're not planning those restrictions but we are keeping it under very close review. But no plans for that at the moment.
On Friday, the First Minister said the Welsh Government is working on a plan about how to relax local restrictions.
Improvements have been seen in most of the local authority areas. However, he raised concerns about an outbreak at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, but said the cases are stabilising.
You can watch the full press conference below: