AstraZeneca vaccine sculpture revealed by Bristol artist

A British artist has created a glass sculpture of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to mark 10 million vaccinations being given to people in the UK.

Luke Jerram created the piece from the same materials and using the same techniques as those used in medical-grade test tubes and distilleries.

Five limited editions will be produced in aid of Medecins Sans Frontieres to help communities hit by the pandemic.

The donation is in recognition of the global fight against the disease.

The piece is the latest in his Glass Microbiology series of virus sculptures, and was one of the most complicated to make, said Mr Jerram, who has a studio in Bristol.

He tested positive for coronavirus in November.

"When I created a sculpture of Covid-19 back in March, little did I know I'd later be among those to contract the virus," he said.

"It's an awful disease and two months on, my sense of smell is shot, I have tinnitus and still feel tired at times.

"During my recovery, it became clear to me that my next artwork should focus on the vaccine, our way out of this global crisis, as a tribute to the scientists and medical teams who have been working collaboratively across the world to fight the virus."

He spent a month completing the piece with his team at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland.

It measures 34cm (13in) across and is one million times larger than the actual nanoparticle.

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