Britain on Wednesday approved a second Covid-19 vaccine, a bullet developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.
The vaccine was approved for emergency supply in the UK, with the first doses released today until vaccinations begin early in the New Year, AstraZeneca said.
Authorization by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommends two doses with an interval of four to 12 weeks. This regimen has been shown in clinical trials to be safe and effective in the inhibition of symptomatic Covid-19, without any severe cases and without hospitalization longer than 14 days after the second dose.
AstraZeneca is working with Public Health England and the English National Health Service to support the use and distribution of the vaccine in the UK, according to the MHRA and the recommendation of the UK joint committee on vaccination and immunization, he said. .
The company aims to deliver millions of doses in the first quarter as part of an agreement with the government to deliver up to 100 million doses in total.
Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said: “Today is an important day for millions of people in the UK who will have access to this new vaccine. It has been proven to be effective, well tolerated, simple to administer and delivered with AstraZeneca without any benefit. We would like to thank our many colleagues at AstraZeneca, Oxford University, the UK government and the tens of thousands of clinical trial participants. “
Professor Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and Chief Investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Test, said: “The regulator’s assessment that this is a safe and effective vaccine is a real moment, and a testament to the great effort of a team passionate international. of researchers and our specific test partners. While this is only the beginning, we will begin to get on with the pandemic, protecting health and economies when vulnerable people are vaccinated everywhere, as soon as possible. possible. ”
AstraZeneca is working with its global partners to continue building the manufacturing capacity of up to three billion doses of the vaccine worldwide in 2021 on an ongoing basis, pending regulatory approval. The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal cooling conditions (2 – 8 degrees Celsius / 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months and given within existing health care conditions .
AstraZeneca continues to engage with governments, multilateral agencies and colleagues around the world to ensure widespread and equitable access to the vaccine without any benefit during the outbreak. panoramic, he said. – TradeArabia News Service