U.K. approves use of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Pfizer and BioNTech were given authorization by the U.K government to start its candidate vaccine’s distribution process.
• The U.S is also considering the shot from Pfizer and BioNTech, and along with Moderna Inc., supply depends on the approval of the FDA.
• Pfizer and BioNTech said its potential vaccine is 95% effective in preventing even the severe COVID-19 disease.

On Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they’re approved to use their coronavirus vaccine for emergency purposes in Britain. The vaccine candidate by Pfizer and BioNTech is considered the first COVID-19 shot that’s developed under a scientific and rigorous method and could be the answer in addressing the worldwide pandemic.

The recent action will make Britain one of the first nations to start immunizing its citizens as it attempts to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 in Europe.

Not so far behind are the U.S. and the European Union, who are also preferring Pfizer shot and another comparable vaccine developed by rival Moderna Inc.

Pfizer confirmed that it would start delivering partial supplies to the U.K. immediately. The company is also preparing for a more massive distribution should the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decides to give the authorization, a verdict anticipated early next week.

However, doses are scarce everywhere,  and the first batch of supplies will be strictly regulated while more will be produced early next year.

In a statement, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the U.K. pronouncement is a momentous call, adding the company aims to safely supply the top-rated vaccine worldwide with a sense of urgency.

Even though the U.K. has posted a Pfizer vaccine order that would cover

20 million people, it’s still uncertain if how many shots will be supplied this year.  Keeping the vaccine stored at subzero temperatures is another challenge added to the distribution concerns.

The vaccine will be effective if two doses, 21 days apart, will be administered. The U.K. government says the first to receive the shots are nursing facility residents,  frontline health workers,  and older citizens.

Health regulators in Britain are also looking at another vaccine candidate produced by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cautioned though that the country would face a series of restrictions in preventing the spread of COVID-19 until the supply of shots would suffice for everyone.

Each nation has dissimilar guidelines in deciding when a candidate shot is effective and safe enough for administration. The pressure from the government from Britain and the U.S was intense, even though experts vowed not to take shortcuts. Nations like China and Russia, though, have presented other vaccinations to their people in advance of final testing.

The vaccines developed by U.S. company Pfizer and BioNTech, its German partner, were tried in people by tens of thousands in number. And while that research is yet to be completed, initial results indicated that the vaccine has an effectivity rate of 95% at averting mild to severe coronavirus disease.

The companies also confirmed that the vaccine had no observed side effects, although the recipients may feel momentary pain and flu-like symptoms following the injections.

Source: Time