GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced the stunning study results on Twitter this morning. The British company has found that a single booster dose of its "recombinant adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidate" delivered "consistently strong immune responses" in a study. GSK found in a phase 3 trial that the booster jab "showed neutralising antibodies increased 9- to 43-fold regardless of the primary vaccine received".

       It was the "most comprehensive booster trial to date" to explore boosting across different vaccine technologies.

       The jab was developed alongside French healthcare company Sanofi.

       Thomas Triomphe, Sanofi Executive Vice President, said: “These preliminary data show we have a strong booster candidate, whatever primary vaccine you have received.

       "This is consistent with our efforts to provide relevant responses to evolving public health needs.

       "While pursuing a phase III trial is a challenge in a quickly shifting pandemic environment, we look forward to seeing the results to support submissions of our booster vaccine as quickly as possible.”

       The results were also hailed by GSK Vaccine President, Roger Connor.

       He said: As the pandemic threat continues with the current dominant Delta variant and Omicron rapidly gaining ground, booster vaccines will continue to be needed to help protect people over time.

       "The initial booster data are promising, and we await the phase III results to determine the next steps on making protein-based adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccines available."

       It comes as the world scrambles to get ahold of the outbreak of a new Covid variant dubbed Omicron.

       But South African doctor Dr Angelique Coetzee says the UK is overreacting to the variant and creating "hysteria".

       She told Sky News that she has seen "no one" experience severe symptoms since the outbreak.

       Dr Coetzee said: "I haven't seen any COVID-19 pneumonia and neither have my colleagues."

       The expert says the difference between Omicron and the last dominant variant, Delta, is huge.

       She added: "Delta was terrible, it was heart-breaking. When (the patients) opened the door you just knew they were in trouble.

       "The next thing I had to think about was beds, oxygen, what are we going to do. At this surgery, I think in total we had 10 deaths and the patients were extremely, extremely sick."

       Dr Coetzee said, with Omicron, the scenes have been completely different.