LONDON (AP) – Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to authorize a rigorously tested COVID-19 vaccine, and a historic step towards ending the drought that has killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide. .
For emergency use of the vaccine, developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s Bioentech, Britain played a role in the United States for at least a week. U.S. The Food and Drug Administration does not decide to consider the vaccine until December 10.
“This is a day to remember, a year to forget,” said Matt Hancock, the British health secretary.
The announcement marks the phase of the largest vaccination campaign in British history and goes far beyond what experts are warning, the coronavirus in Europe and Europe will go to epic levels and put pressure on hospitals and businesses.
Officials warn that even in Britain there are many tough months ahead, given the monumental scale of the operation required for most of the population to be vaccinated. Due to limited initial supplies, the first shot will be reserved for most at-risk people, i.e. nursing home patients, the elderly and health care workers.
The UK’s regulatory agency for medicine and healthcare products recommended the vaccine after clinical trials showed it was 95% effective and offered significant protection for the elderly. The vaccine remains experimental when the final test is performed.
“This is an unprecedented piece of science,” said David Harper, a senior global health consultant at Chatham House think tank, who was vaccinated a year after the virus was discovered.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the “searchlights of science” have chosen the “invisible enemy.” He said that in developing the vaccine, the scientists had “biological lice” by turning the virus on their own.
Other countries are not far behind: only the U.S. Regulators not only in but also in the European Union and Canada are working to test the Pfizer vaccine with a shot made by Modern Inc.. British and Canadian regulators are also considering a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University..
U.S. Alex Azare, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, said Britain’s decision should give Americans more confidence in the quality of the vaccine.
Hancock said Britain would begin receiving the first shipment of 800,000 doses from Belgium in a matter of days, and people would start getting shots. As soon as he arrives. Two doses are required except for three weeks. The country expects to receive millions of doses by the end of this year, Hancock said, although the exact number will depend on how quickly its manufacturer and quality can be tested.
Vaccine owner Bioentek said it has signed a deal to supply 570 million doses worldwide in 2021, with options to deliver a further 600 million. It expects to supply at least 1.3 billion by 2021.
Since public health officials have tried to vaccinate most of the world’s population, that is only part of the need. Experts say more vaccines will be needed to end the epidemic quickly.
In Britain, the first shot will go to nursing home patients and their caregivers, followed by more than 80 people and health care workers. From there, the program will be expanded as supplies increase, with approximate vaccinations based on age groups, starting with the elderly.
Despite the speed with which they approved the vaccine, and the intense political pressure around the world to resolve the crisis, British regulators insisted that “no corners were cut” during the review process.
The MHRA made its recommendation following a so-called rolling review, which allowed it to evaluate its information as soon as the vaccine became available, starting in October.
The agency’s chief executive, Dr. “People’s safety always comes first,” said John Raine. “And I reiterate that this recommendation has only been made by MHRA after a very rigorous scientific evaluation of each piece of data.”
It’s important to get that message out to people if a vaccination program is to succeed. Some people worry about getting any vaccine, no matter what new thing.
Jacqueline Robbins, a 76-year-old retired nurse in London’s Brixton Market, said: “But I think once they understand and everyone will see it without hesitation, I think you “People are dying from covid, so you decide: do you want to die or do you want to be vaccinated?”
In addition to the huge logistic challenges of distributing vaccines, Pfizer-Bioentech One must be stored and shipped at minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit).
Pfizer said it has developed shipping containers that use dry ice and that GPS-enabled sensors will ensure the company can track every shipment and keep it cool.
Each country has different rules for determining when an experimental vaccine is safe and effective enough to use. China and Russia have offered their citizens different vaccines at different levels, before passing the late stage test.
Hours after Britain’s announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin, not stepping forward, ordered the launch of a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination campaign by the end of next week, with doctors and teachers becoming the first line to receive the Sputnik V-shot. Was one of Moscow’s proudest technological achievements.
The Russian vaccine received regulatory approval in August, but advanced studies of its effectiveness and safety have not yet been completed. Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said more than 100,000 people had been shot in Russia.
The vaccine, developed by Pfizer and Bioentech, was tested in thousands of people, and the manufacturers reported no serious side effects. It remains to be seen whether the shots protect against those who spread the virus without symptoms. The second question is how long the security lasts.
The vaccine has only been tested in a small number of children under 12 years of age, and there is no information about its effectiveness in pregnant women.
___
Nirgard reported from Alexandria, Virginia. Contributed by Associated Press writers Frank Jordens in Berlin and Le Panneles Pan Pallas and Jo Carney in London
__
Follow AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic And https://apnews.com/UndersistancetheOutbreak.
___
The Associated Press The Department of Health and Science is supported by the Department of Science Education at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. AP is fully responsible for all content.
.
