Big news on the Covid-19 vaccine front.
A Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech will be rolled out across the UK from next week after it was officially authorised by the UK government.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the government said the vaccine will be made available from next week and that the NHS will “begin putting their extensive preparations into action to provide care and support to all those eligible for vaccination”.
Recent clinical trials showed that the vaccine level had an efficacy level of 95% with no side effects, prompting Pfizer and BioNTech
to seek urgent approval for its use from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Following a recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK government has now approved the vaccine for use and said it will set out further details as to how it will be rolled out shortly.
Speaking last month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke optimistically of a Covid-19 vaccine being
approved for use in Ireland before Christmas, but didn’t expect it to be rolled out here until next year.
“The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use,” a UK government statement read.
“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 Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) will shortly publish its final 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. The NHS has decades of experience in delivering large scale vaccination programmes and will begin putting their extensive preparations into action to provide care and support to all those eligible for vaccination.
“To aid the success of the vaccination programme it is vital everyone continues to play their part and abide by the necessary restrictions in their area so we can further suppress the virus and allow the NHS to do its work without being overwhelmed.
“Further details will be set out shortly.”
