The global economy may get back to pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year as vaccines help propel recovery, but growth is likely to be uneven, the OECD has said.

Signs that vaccines could now be weeks away from distribution have injected cautious optimism as the year limps to a close with Covid-19 having claimed some 1.4 million lives.

“For the first time since the pandemic began, there is now hope for a brighter future,” OECD Chief Economist Laurence Boone wrote in her introduction to the organisation's latest review of the global economic outlook.

“The road ahead is brighter but challenging,” Boone added.