UK approves Pfizer vaccine for high-risk Covid cases from next week

UK has approved the use of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for high-risk Covid-19 patients. UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority has authorised the emergency use of the vaccine.

The UK has bought 40 million doses of the vaccine, which has been shown to have 95 per cent efficacy in its final trials.

A UK government spokesman said: "The government has today accepted the recommendation from the MHRA to approve Pfizer/BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for use. This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness."

"The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation will shortly also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive the vaccine, including care home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and the clinically extremely vulnerable. The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week."

BioNTech CEO and co-founder, Ugur Sahin told media persons, "The emergency use authorisation in the UK will mark the first time citizens outside of the trials will have the opportunity to be immunised against Covid-19. We believe that the rollout of the vaccination programme in the UK will reduce the number of people in the high-risk population being hospitalised." 

"Our aim is to bring a safe and effective vaccine upon approval to the people who need it. The data submitted to regulatory agencies around the world are the result of a scientifically rigorous and highly ethical research and development programme."