UK is first to approve Covid vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech
THE UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, paving the way for vaccination to start next week.
The jab has been shown in studies to be 95% effective and works in all age groups.
The UK has ordered 40 million doses, enough to vaccinate 20 million people because each individual will need an initial dose and a follow-up dose of the same vaccine.
Around 10 million doses are expected to be available for use in the UK in the coming weeks for priority groups, including healthcare workers, with 800,000 doses arriving next week.
A list of who will receive the vaccine first will be set out later today [Wednesday].
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had approved the jab after 'months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts' from the regulator.
He said they have concluded that the vaccine has met its 'strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness'.
The vaccine was tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns were raised.
It is known as a messenger RNA vaccine, which is injected into the body where it enters cells and tells them to create antigens.
These antigens are recognised by the immune system and prepare to fight coronavirus.
Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock said until vaccines were rolled out, people needed to stick to the rules.
'We've got to get from here to there and we've got to keep people safe in the meantime.'
50 hospitals across England were already set up and waiting to receive the vaccine as soon as it was approved.
In Guernsey, director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink has repeatedly told islanders at press conferences that the island was ready and waiting for the final go-ahead in the UK when the final, smaller details would be ironed out.
Beau Sejour has been named as the community vaccination centre, with aims of it being set up by 21 December.
The main sports hall, with its plenty space and hard floors, has been pinned as the actual vaccination site - much to the discontent of many of the island's sports teams.
