[ad_1]
LONDON (REUTERS, AFP) – Britain became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use on Wednesday, December 2, and said it will be launched early next week.
A vaccine is seen as the best chance for the world to return to a semblance of normalcy amid a global pandemic that has killed nearly 1.5 million people and disrupted the world economy.
“The government has today accepted the recommendation of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use,” the British government said.
“The vaccine will be available throughout the UK from next week.”
Britain’s vaccine committee will decide which priority groups will get the vaccine first, such as nursing home residents, health and care personnel, the elderly and people who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
Both Pfizer-BioNTech and the American biotechnology firm Moderna have reported preliminary findings of more than 90% effectiveness, an unexpectedly high rate, in trials of their vaccines, which are based on new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.
Pfizer said Britain’s emergency use authorization marks a historic moment in the fight against Covid-19.
“This authorization is a goal we have been working towards since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the MHRA for its ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the UK. “said the Pfizer boss. executive Albert Bourla.
“As we anticipate more authorizations and approvals, we are focused on moving forward with the same level of urgency to safely deliver a high-quality vaccine around the world.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the program would begin early next week. Hospitals, he said, were ready to receive him. “This is very good news,” Hancock said.
The announcement came as England emerged from a month-long coronavirus lockdown, but most of the country remained under restrictions as a new regional system was launched to reduce infection rates.
The four-week lockdown, which began in November, was imposed to halt rising infection rates, ease pressure on health services and allow families to reunite at Christmas.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a Covid survivor, managed to win a vote on the measures in parliament Tuesday night, despite significant opposition within his own conservative ranks.
“All we have to do now is keep our nerves until these vaccines are really within our grasp and are injected into our arms,” he told lawmakers before the vote.
Until then “we cannot afford to relax, especially during the cold winter months,” he warned.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST OF THE BIG STORY
[ad_2]
