Great Britain was the first to authorize the use of the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine on Wednesday 02 December.
From next week the Pfizer/Biontch coronavirus vaccine will be available in Great Britain. The vaccine has been recommended by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) for emergency use.
Healthcare workers will be the first to benefit from this vaccine before other sections of the population.
“Fantastic,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was relieved by this new development. He himself had almost lost his life to a covid-19 infection.
Human lives will be saved and economic recovery is expected. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to fall to -11% in the course of this year 2020 according to forecasts by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The United Kingdom has purchased 40 million doses of the vaccine. In the latest trials, Pfizer/Biontech said its vaccine was 95% effective.
The decision to authorize Pfizer/Biontech’s vaccine was taken before other Western countries, including the United States and European countries. France is expected to authorize it towards the end of the year. The European Medicines Agency says a longer validation process was safer.
Gérard Rugambwa
