UK Stands First To Approve Coronavirus Vaccine
Government in Japan has approved bill to offer free vaccination against coronavirus to all citizens
WEB DESK: The United Kingdom has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use.
The U.K. has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, it is enough to vaccinate 20 million people with two shots each.
The government has also placed an order for a further 7 million doses from Moderna.
Deliveries of the vaccine developed would begin within hours of the authorization, according to government officials.
The vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95 percent in preventing the disease. The immunizations could start within days for people in high priority groups.
Experts have drawn up a provisional priority list, targeting people at highest risk. Topping the list are care home residents, staff, followed by people over 80 and other health/social care workers.
The British government has said it would roll out the vaccine using a network of General practitioners (GPs), National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and dedicated sites.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) chief said that the safety of people is their first priority and their job is to work towards the highest standards.
However, the government in Japan is planning to offer free vaccination against coronavirus to all citizens.
The government is set to shoulder all the costs for sufficient supplies of the vaccine that are being developed in Japan.
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This initiative has been taken to encourage the public to get vaccinated promptly after introduction.
Japan’s government is now in the process to prepare the systems necessary to make sure the supply of vaccines, on the assumption that it may become available at the end of this year.
The government’s subcommittee on coronavirus counter measures has indicated a policy of giving first priority for coronavirus vaccinations to medical workers, elderly people, and those with underlying conditions.
However, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has indicated that it won’t make a regulatory decision about the vaccine before December 10.
