Highlights:
- Britain has approved Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine for use
- Britain’s vaccine committee will decide which priority groups will get the jab first
- Preliminary findings of over 90% effectiveness were announced by Pfizer-BioNTech
On Wednesday, Britain became the first nation in the world to allow the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and said it would be rolled out early next week.
In the midst of a global pandemic that has killed almost 1.5 million people and upended the global economy, a vaccine is seen as the only hope for the world to get back to some semblance of normality.
The government, today, said, “It approved the recommendation to authorize the Pfizer-COVID-19 BioNTech vaccine for use by the independent Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA),”
The UK Vaccine Committee will determine which priority categories, such as care home patients, health and care workers, elderly people and people who are highly clinically vulnerable, will get the jab first.
In trials of their vaccines, which are both focused on new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, both Pfizer-BioNTech and the U.S. biotech company Moderna have announced preliminary results of more than 90 percent effectiveness which is unexpected high rate.
Pfizer said the emergency usage authorization from Britain represents a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of US based Pharma firm Pfizer, Albert Bourla, said, “we first declared that science will win, this authorization is a goal we have been working towards,” he added “we applaud the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful evaluation and take timely action to help protect the people of the United Kingdom”.
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” As we expect more permits and approvals, we are concentrated on moving with the same degree of urgency to deliver a high-quality vaccine safely around the world.”
Secretary of Health Matt Hancock said the program will launch early next week. Hospitals, he said, were able to receive it already.
“It is very good news,” said Hancock.
Help is on its way.
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) December 2, 2020
The MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19.
The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week.
The UK is the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply.
On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the formal authorization for mass use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. The UK PM said that beginning next week the Covid-19 vaccine would be made available across the world.
The British Prime Minister “I strongly urge people to take up the vaccine but it is no part of our culture or our ambition in this country to make vaccines mandatory,”.
Boris Johnson tweeted, “It’s fantastic that @MHRAgovuk has formally authorised the @Pfizer/@BioNTech_Group vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week. It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again. “
It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again. (2/2)
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 2, 2020
Two other vaccines have also applied for emergency use authorization in the U.S. and Europe, one developed by U.S.-based Moderna, which also needs sub-zero storage, and one produced by the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University.
