The Medicine and Healthcare products regulatory agency (MHRA), the UK’s medical regulator, gave a green signal to the coronavirus vaccine co-developed by BioNtech SE and Pfizer Inc on Wednesday, concluding it’s both safe and effective.
“The government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.
“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.”
British regulators also are considering another shot made by AstraZeneca and Oxford University”, the government said.
Britain’s vaccine committee will decide which priority groups will get the jab first such as care home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and people who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the programme would begin early next week. Hospitals, he said, were already ready to receive it. “It is very good news,” Hancock added.
