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Britain approves Biontech vaccine: vaccines to start next week
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UK grants emergency approval to Biontech and Pfizer
The UK drug regulatory agency has granted Biontech and Pfizer emergency approval for their corona vaccine. Stefanie Bolzen, WELT correspondent, explains why this is faster in Britain than in the EU.
The UK has approved the Biontech and Pfizer corona vaccine. The British government announced that the vaccine will be available from next week. In the case of the European Union, it will take much longer.
reAccording to Mainz-based pharmaceutical company Biontech and its US partner Pfizer, the UK pharmaceutical regulatory authority has granted emergency approval for its corona vaccine. The two companies announced this on Wednesday.
This will give the British the green light for a corona vaccine ahead of the EU and the US Furthermore, the vaccine will be available in Britain from next week, the British government announced. Vaccinations should start early next week. Health Minister Matt Hancock announced in an interview with Sky News.
The decision was a “historic moment,” said Pfizer boss Albert Bourla. The company is focused on distributing the vaccine “with equal urgency” around the world.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) had previously announced that it would probably take four weeks for the approval of a first coronavirus vaccine. If the vaccine from the companies Biontech and Pfizer turns out to be safe and effective, a decisive meeting should be called no later than Dec. 29, the agency said Tuesday.
For the Biontech / Pfizer vaccine, an extensive series of tests showed effectiveness offering 95 percent protection against Covid-19 disease, according to the company. The vaccine worked equally well in all age groups and other demographic differences and showed virtually no serious side effects, the companies said after the final analysis. Vaccination protection for people over 65 years of age exceeds 94 percent.
These positive results are related to protection against Covid 19 disease. It is not yet clear to what extent the vaccine also protects against infection and possible transmission of the virus.
For the vaccine from the American company Moderna, the testing process will likely last until January 12, he said.
This calendar puts a brake on the high expectations in EU countries that vaccinations with the Biontech / Pfizer product could start in mid-December. Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said that with the information now available, it can be assumed that vaccinations could begin early in the year. It is important to be prepared.
