Pharma Secure will offer a dedicated booking team, round-the-clock support and temperature-controlled facilities needed to keep the vaccine at between -70C and -80C.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo managing director Dominic Kennedy said: “This new service takes our already well-established pharmaceutical offering to the next level.

“It is a testament to the hard work of our teams that we have completely re-engineered our cargo business into a successful freight-only operation offering cargo-only services and charters for the first time in our history, enabling businesses to re-establish trade routes and transport critical supplies around the world.”

The airline said demand to transport cargo “remains strong”.

The carrier flew its first cargo-only flight on 21 March and now averages more than 190 flights per week to new and existing destinations.

The carrier has operated flights for the UK government from Shanghai to London, bringing more than four million tonnes of essential medical equipment, supplies and PPE to the UK.