Britain approves Oxford vaccine
The British Drugs and Health Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) has given the “green light” for the use of the Oxford University and AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus. Britain thus becomes the first country to approve this vaccine.
Urgent approval of the vaccine comes at a time when, according to local authorities, Britain is experiencing “unprecedented” levels of infection, following the onset of the previous days of the coronavirus mutation, which is more easily transmitted, but without causing of the indications so far- most serious disease Covid-19.
As announced by the British Ministry of Health early Wednesday morning, the government of the country adopted the recommendation of the competent regulatory authority, during which the vaccine was considered safe and effective.
The United Kingdom has ordered 100 million doses from AstraZeneca – enough to vaccinate 50 million people.
The Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine was designed in the early months of 2020, tested on the first volunteer in April, and has since undergone large-scale clinical trials involving thousands of people.
This is the second vaccine approved in the United Kingdom, after Pfizer and BioNTech.
More than 600,000 people in the UK have been vaccinated since 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person to get the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine out of trial.
It is estimated that the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine will lead to a significant increase in vaccination as it is cheap and can be mass-produced. It can be stored in a standard refrigerator, unlike the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine which is stored at -70 degrees Celsius.
Priority in vaccination in Britain is given to the elderly, caregivers and hospital staff.
On Tuesday, the executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the European regulator would probably not be able to approve the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine in January.
The British Drugs and Health Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) has given the “green light” for the use of the Oxford University and AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus. Britain thus becomes the first country to approve this vaccine.
Urgent approval of the vaccine comes at a time when, according to local authorities, Britain is experiencing “unprecedented” levels of infection, following the onset of the previous days of the coronavirus mutation, which is more easily transmitted, but without causing of the indications so far- most serious disease Covid-19.
As announced by the British Ministry of Health early Wednesday morning, the government of the country adopted the recommendation of the competent regulatory authority, during which the vaccine was considered safe and effective.
The United Kingdom has ordered 100 million doses from AstraZeneca – enough to vaccinate 50 million people.
The Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine was designed in the early months of 2020, tested on the first volunteer in April, and has since undergone large-scale clinical trials involving thousands of people.
This is the second vaccine approved in the United Kingdom, after Pfizer and BioNTech.
More than 600,000 people in the UK have been vaccinated since 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person to get the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine out of trial.
It is estimated that the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine will lead to a significant increase in vaccination as it is cheap and can be mass-produced. It can be stored in a standard refrigerator, unlike the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine which is stored at -70 degrees Celsius.
Priority in vaccination in Britain is given to the elderly, caregivers and hospital staff.
On Tuesday, the executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the European regulator would probably not be able to approve the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine in January.
Johnson: Fantastic news
A triumph for British science was described by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, the approval received by the vaccine of the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca against the coronavirus.
For his part, Health Minister Matt Hancock stressed that the approval of the vaccine offers a way out of the pandemic until the spring, when millions of vulnerable people have already been vaccinated.
He added that the recommended 12-week interval between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine is “very helpful”, as this way more people will be able to take the first dose, which alone offers a large percentage. protection.
AstraZeneca: The mutation vaccine is effective
As of today, the distribution of the Oxford vaccine is expected to start tomorrow at the latest, as announced by the CEO of AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot.
He noted that vaccine doses could reach as high as two million a week, adding that by the end of the first trimester, millions of people would have been vaccinated. He also clarified that the vaccine is expected to be effective against the mutant strain.
With information from BBC, Reuters
