UK, First Country To Approve Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine, Launching Next Week

Photo illustration (Science in HD / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Britain is the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use. Britain has also said a vaccine will be launched next week.

The announcement was made Wednesday, December 2. The vaccine is seen as the world's best chance to return to normalcy, ending a global pandemic that has killed nearly 1.5 million people.

Vaccines were also touted as the hope of increasing the empowerment of the global economy which was chaotic throughout the year. "Vaccines will be available throughout the UK starting next week," the British government, in a statement quoted by CNA today.

"The government has today received a recommendation from the independent Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use."

The UK vaccine committee will decide which priority group will get the first injection. So far, nursing home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and those who are clinically particularly vulnerable have been named as priorities.

Pfizer-BioNTech and US biotechnology company Moderna have reported preliminary findings on the effectiveness of more than 90 percent in their vaccine trials. The numbers represent a very high rate, both of which are based on new messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.

Pfizer said Britain's authorization of emergency use marked a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19.

"This authorization is a goal we have been working on since we first declared that science would win, and we laud the MHRA for their ability to make careful assessments and take timely action to help protect British society," said CEO Albert Bourla.

"As we anticipate further authorizations and approvals, we are focused on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply high-quality vaccines around the world."

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the program would start early next week. The hospital, he said, was ready to accept it. "This is very good news," said Hancock.