UK Okays Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

By Seun Adeuyi

The United Kingdom (UK) has become the first western country to approve the coronavirus vaccine with its regulator clearing Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s shot ahead of decisions in the United States (US) and European Union (EU), according to Bloomberg News.

The vaccine is expected to play a significant role in the global effort to halt the coronavirus.

In November Pfizer and its German partner, said that the shot, relying on novel technology called messenger RNA, was 95% effective in a final analysis of clinical-trial data.

According to a statement from the UK government, the vaccine will be available in Britain from next week.

As part of an operation to protect its population, the UK had signaled it would move swiftly in approving a vaccine, and doctors across the country were put on standby for a possible rollout.

The government says it’s an opportunity to make up for missteps during the pandemic as Britain’s death toll nears 60,000.