Mass vaccination of Britons against COVID-19 will start next week, with the approval of the vaccine made by Pfizer/BioNTech.
The vaccine was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted on Wednesday that ‘Help is on its way’.
“The MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19.
The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week. The UK is the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said the government has accepted the recommendation from (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 (JCVI) 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.’
Reports said the NHS staff are first in line to receive the vaccine.
This vaccine, which reported early results suggesting the jab is 95 per cent effective, needs to be stored at extremely low temperatures.
