[ad_1]
The UK and Russia announced on Wednesday that they will begin vaccinating their populations against Covid-19 starting next week, thanks, respectively, to vaccines from American Pfizer and German BioNTech; and the Russian Sputnik V.
The British government was the first country to approve the massive use of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, which, according to public officials, meets “strict safety, quality and efficacy standards” and will be available next week in the country, which already registers 60 thousand deaths from Covid-19.
Read More:UK approves Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine
Hours after the London announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on his country’s health officials to begin a “large-scale” vaccination campaign next week.
The Russian Sputnik V vaccine, created by the Gamaleïa laboratory in Moscow, is in the third and final phase of clinical trials with 40,000 volunteers. Its creators claim that it is 95% efficient, like Pfizer and BioNTech.
Russia, the fourth country with the highest number of coronavirus infections (more than 2.3 million), recorded more than 25,000 new cases on Wednesday and a record daily death rate (41,053).
See also:Pfizer gives Brazil a week to close the vaccine deal
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said that it will rule on the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine “at the latest” on December 29, and that it will do the same with that of the American competitor Moderna, on December 12. .
On the other side of the Atlantic, Pfizer / BioNTech awaits approval from US authorities, who also plan on Monday to give the green light to the modern competitor’s vaccine.
If both are allowed, they may be available this month in the United States, the country with the highest number of deaths during the pandemic: more than 270,000.
Plus:Bolsonaro on the vaccine: ‘if it has side effects, they won’t be able to charge me’
With these two vaccines, the administration of President Donald Trump expects 100 million people in the United States to be vaccinated by the end of February.
While waiting for vaccines to stop the pandemic, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned this Wednesday that Covid-19 cases increased by 30% in November in the American continent.
Concern over the new coronavirus crisis will be the subject of a special meeting at the UN on Thursday, which will virtually include leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Johnson. However, many international leaders, such as the American Donald Trump, the Chinese Xi Jinping and the Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro, have indicated that they will not participate in this event.
