It took Oxford University's brightest minds decades of work to give them the expertise to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. In the end, it was a momentary error — and a dose of good fortune — that carried them over the line.

The Oxford vaccinologists were exhilarated on Monday when drugmaker AstraZeneca, with whom they developed the shot, announced that it could be around 90% effective, citing data from late-stage trials.

"It can only happen if extraordinary support is provided," said Adrian Hill, director of Oxford University's Jenner Institute, which developed the shot. "We had pretty well the whole institute in Oxford working on this vaccine."