Capt Scribble
I’m no expert on the matter, so I’m willing to be corrected.
The unprecedented speed at which these vaccines are being developed is because the relevant parts of the scientific community have effectively dropped everything, and put all their resources into it. A truly global effort.
It’s my understanding that no vaccine or medication undergoes “long term trials” until it’s been released- by definition. This is the “Phase 4”. Ideal as it would be, we can’t very well wait 5, 10 or 15 years to see what may (or may not) happen with this one, can we?
Between Pfizer and Moderna, some 75-80,000 people have selflessly been tested. No doubt the Oxford vaccine will bring that number to over 100,000. If the scientists and doctors around the world review the data and are happy enough to take it themselves, I trust their expertise.