Professor Luke O'Neill has said a plan to roll-out a vaccine in 100 days in the event of any future viral outbreak is 'very feasible'.

He was speaking as the G7 group of nations, meeting in London, announced plans to develop and deploy vaccines in just 100 days after a new pandemic threat is identified.

The so-called pandemic preparedness partnership aims to ensure the world is better protected against future pandemics by putting a set of actions in place now.

Under the plans new therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostics against potential future pathogens would be part-developed before the next pandemic starts.

Several CEOs and representatives of companies have also backed the plan.

This includes Pfizer, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca.

Prof O'Neill, professor of biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, told Pat Kenny this will be a big collaborative effort.

"It's all about preparing us for - I know it's a horrible thing to consider - if there's a risk of another pandemic, how quick can we turn that one around and stop the disastrous events of the past year?

"It's going to be a massive collaborative discussions between companies, of course... but universities, medical researchers, regulators are all going to be put in a group.

"This is after the G7 just planning it to discuss 'Can you get a vaccine in 100 days?'

"Of course we got a vaccine in 300 days, which was still remarkable, as we all know by now last year.

"So it took 300 days the last time, and they want to get it down to 100 days - and it's very feasible because now they know what to do.

"It'll just be a question of organising it... and between countries as well - the G7 want to collaborate on this big thing."

Asked if trials would slow this plan down, he said: "The bulk of the 100 [days] will be the trials actually.

"The RNA vaccines can be almost made in a day, you just make the RNA molecule, it's very quick.

"The bulk of the 100 actually is in safety measurements and efficiency measurements, but that'll be built into it.

"Where there's a will, there's a way because we don't want SARS​-CoV3 in a year or two years time.

"So this is a very good development and way to prepare us, just in case there should be another pandemic".