German firm BioNTech which produces its vaccine jointly with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-approves-pfizer-covid-vaccine-for-emergency-use-383682">Pfizer</a> of the United States declared on said that "there is no evidence that an adaptation of BioNTech's current COVID-19 vaccine against key identified emerging variants is necessary."

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-decides-to-not-renew-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-order-383976/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The company had earlier said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-seek-approval-for-covid-vaccine-for-teens-383535">vaccine</a> works against the&nbsp;variant first found in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-why-india-is-pfizers-shot-at-redemption-383067">India</a>. It has already sent&nbsp;the vaccine to over 90 countries worldwide.

"The aim of this study is to explore the regulatory pathway that BioNTech and Pfizer would pursue if SARS-CoV-2 were to change enough to require an updated vaccine," the company said after announcing that it had began tests in March on a "modified, variant-specific version" of the vaccine.

The vaccine maker has identified Singapore as its Southeast Asia headquarters and manufacturing site which is set to be operational by 2023. The company plans to produce three billion doses by 2021 end and accelerate it to over three billion doses next year.

In a bid to raise production, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/largest-study-on-pfizer-covid-vaccine-says-drug-offers-over-95-protection-383099">BioNTech</a> and Pfizer set licensing and manufacturing partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies including Merck, Novartis and Sanofi.

As Europe battles the virus, the EU last week had struck a deal with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-becomes-first-country-to-authorise-pfizer-covid-vaccine-for-kids-age-12-and-up-383033">Pfizer-BioNTech</a> for up to 1.8 billion extra doses of the vaccine.

"Happy to announce that the EU Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with BioNTech/Pfizer for 2021-2023," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had said.

The EU chief had said that the mRNA technology used by Pfizer-BioNTech and other vaccine makers has proved safe and effective in Europe. The EU had already secured 600 million doses of the vaccine earlier.

German firm BioNTech which produces its vaccine jointly with Pfizer of the United States declared on said that "there is no evidence that an adaptation of BioNTech's current COVID-19 vaccine against key identified emerging variants is necessary.

German firm BioNTech which produces its vaccine jointly with Pfizer of the United States declared on said that "there is no evidence that an adaptation of BioNTech's current COVID-19 vaccine against key identified emerging variants is necessary." Watch: The company had earlier said that the vaccine works against the variant first found in India. It has already sent the vaccine to over 90 countries worldwide. "The aim of this study is to explore the regulatory pathway that BioNTech and Pfizer would pursue if SARS-CoV-2 were to change enough to require an updated vaccine," the company said after announcing that it had began tests in March on a "modified, variant-specific version" of the vaccine. The vaccine maker has identified Singapore as its Southeast Asia headquarters and manufacturing site which is set to be operational by 2023. The company plans to produce three billion doses by 2021 end and accelerate it to over three billion doses next year. In a bid to raise production, BioNTech and Pfizer set licensing and manufacturing partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies including Merck, Novartis and Sanofi. As Europe battles the virus, the EU last week had struck a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech for up to 1.8 billion extra doses of the vaccine. "Happy to announce that the EU Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with BioNTech/Pfizer for 2021-2023," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had said. The EU chief had said that the mRNA technology used by Pfizer-BioNTech and other vaccine makers has proved safe and effective in Europe. The EU had already secured 600 million doses of the vaccine earlier.

No evidence vaccine need to be adapted for variants, declares BioNTech

Pfizer/BioNTech said on Friday they have asked European regulators to authorise their Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, a move seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity.

The companies already filed a similar request with US authorities earlier this month. Their vaccine is currently only approved for use in people aged 16 and over.

In a joint statement, Pfizer and BioNTech said they had submitted a request with the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) to expand the use of their jab to include "adolescents 12 to 15 years of age".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Pfizer CEO says oral drug to treat coronavirus could be ready by end of 2021">Pfizer CEO says oral drug to treat coronavirus could be ready by end of 2021</a>

Ugur Sahin, co-founder and CEO of Germany's BioNTech, on Thursday said the jab could be available for those age groups from June if EU approval is granted.

The move comes after phase 3 trial data showed that the vaccine provided "robust antibody responses" and was 100 percent effective in warding off the disease among those aged 12 to 15.

"The vaccine also was generally well tolerated," the statement added.

In an interview with Der Spiegel weekly, Sahin said he expected regulators' evaluation of the data to take four to six weeks.

If approved, the green light would apply to all 27 European Union member states.&nbsp;

Pfizer and BioNTech added that they also plan to seek authorisations "with other regulatory authorities worldwide".

No coronavirus vaccines are currently authorised for use on children.

While children and teenagers are less likely to develop severe Covid, they make up a large part of the population and inoculating them is considered key to ending the pandemic.

The prospect of getting older children jabbed before the next school year begins would also ease the strain on parents who are juggling the demands of homeschooling while keeping up with jobs.

"It's very important to enable children a return to their normal school lives and allow them to meet with family and friends," Sahin told Spiegel.

BioNTech and Pfizer are also racing to get their jab approved for younger kids, from six months upwards.

"In July, the first results for five- to 12-year-olds could be available, and those for younger children in September," Sahin said.

Ongoing trials so far are "very encouraging", Sahin said, suggesting that "children are very well protected by the vaccine".

The BioNTech/Pfizer shot is based on mRNA technology and was the first Covid-19 jab to be approved in the West late last year.

Pfizer/BioNTech said on Friday they have asked European regulators to authorise their Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, a move seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity.

Pfizer/BioNTech said on Friday they have asked European regulators to authorise their Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, a move seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity. The companies already filed a similar request with US authorities earlier this month. Their vaccine is currently only approved for use in people aged 16 and over. In a joint statement, Pfizer and BioNTech said they had submitted a request with the Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) to expand the use of their jab to include "adolescents 12 to 15 years of age". Also read: Pfizer CEO says oral drug to treat coronavirus could be ready by end of 2021 Ugur Sahin, co-founder and CEO of Germany's BioNTech, on Thursday said the jab could be available for those age groups from June if EU approval is granted. The move comes after phase 3 trial data showed that the vaccine provided "robust antibody responses" and was 100 percent effective in warding off the disease among those aged 12 to 15. "The vaccine also was generally well tolerated," the statement added. In an interview with Der Spiegel weekly, Sahin said he expected regulators' evaluation of the data to take four to six weeks. If approved, the green light would apply to all 27 European Union member states. Pfizer and BioNTech added that they also plan to seek authorisations "with other regulatory authorities worldwide". No coronavirus vaccines are currently authorised for use on children. While children and teenagers are less likely to develop severe Covid, they make up a large part of the population and inoculating them is considered key to ending the pandemic. The prospect of getting older children jabbed before the next school year begins would also ease the strain on parents who are juggling the demands of homeschooling while keeping up with jobs. "It's very important to enable children a return to their normal school lives and allow them to meet with family and friends," Sahin told Spiegel. BioNTech and Pfizer are also racing to get their jab approved for younger kids, from six months upwards. "In July, the first results for five- to 12-year-olds could be available, and those for younger children in September," Sahin said. Ongoing trials so far are "very encouraging", Sahin said, suggesting that "children are very well protected by the vaccine". The BioNTech/Pfizer shot is based on mRNA technology and was the first Covid-19 jab to be approved in the West late last year.

Pfizer/BioNTech seek Covid jab approval for 12-15-year-olds in EU

Shanghai&nbsp;Fosun&nbsp;Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd on Wednesday said it will buy at least 100 million doses of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccine</a> from Germany's BioNTech SE for use in mainland China next year if the vaccine receives approval.

China has been rapidly developing its own Covid-19 vaccine candidates and ramping up production facilities, but local firms have also been partnering with foreign developers to supply the world's most populous country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-expands-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-reassure-its-safety-350100" hreflang="en">US expands Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine rollout; reassure its safety</a>

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group said its subsidiary had entered into an agreement with the German firm aimed at ensuring "an adequate supply" of vaccines in China, adding it will make an initial payment of 125 million euros ($152 million) before year-end for 50 million doses.

Pfizer and BioNTech's mRNA vaccine has already been approved for emergency use in countries such as the US, the UK and Singapore.

Its vaccine is based on cutting-edge technology that uses synthetic versions of molecules called messenger RNA to hack into human cells, and effectively turn them into vaccine-making factories.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-joins-us-uk-to-inoculate-people-with-the-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-349832">Canada joins US, UK to inoculate people with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine</a>

China has granted emergency-use status to two candidate vaccines from state-backed Sinopharm and one from Sinovac Biotech Ltd. It has approved a fourth, from CanSino Biologics Inc, for military use.

Separately, Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co Ltd aims to have enough capacity to produce at least 100 million doses of a vaccine candidate from British partner AstraZeneca PLC by year-end.

Late on Tuesday, Tibet Rhodiola&nbsp;Pharmaceutical Holding Co said it has agreed to double the supply of the Sputnik-V vaccine to its Russian home. It now aims to make enough doses for at least 40 million Russians next year.

The jabs will cost 420 yuan ($64), but the statement did not clarify which vaccine was being offered.

Fosun&nbsp;Pharma&nbsp;has brought two BioNTech candidate COVID-19 vaccines into clinical trials in China and is yet to receive regulatory approval for either.

Fosun Pharma is majority-owned by Fosun International, a Chinese conglomerate that owns France-based resort giant Club Med and travel firm Thomas Cook.

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd on Wednesday said it will buy at least 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Germany's BioNTech SE for use in mainland China next year if the vaccine receives approval.

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd on Wednesday said it will buy at least 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Germany's BioNTech SE for use in mainland China next year if the vaccine receives approval. China has been rapidly developing its own Covid-19 vaccine candidates and ramping up production facilities, but local firms have also been partnering with foreign developers to supply the world's most populous country. Also read: US expands Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine rollout; reassure its safety Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group said its subsidiary had entered into an agreement with the German firm aimed at ensuring "an adequate supply" of vaccines in China, adding it will make an initial payment of 125 million euros ($152 million) before year-end for 50 million doses. Pfizer and BioNTech's mRNA vaccine has already been approved for emergency use in countries such as the US, the UK and Singapore. Its vaccine is based on cutting-edge technology that uses synthetic versions of molecules called messenger RNA to hack into human cells, and effectively turn them into vaccine-making factories. Also read: Canada joins US, UK to inoculate people with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine China has granted emergency-use status to two candidate vaccines from state-backed Sinopharm and one from Sinovac Biotech Ltd. It has approved a fourth, from CanSino Biologics Inc, for military use. Separately, Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co Ltd aims to have enough capacity to produce at least 100 million doses of a vaccine candidate from British partner AstraZeneca PLC by year-end. Late on Tuesday, Tibet Rhodiola Pharmaceutical Holding Co said it has agreed to double the supply of the Sputnik-V vaccine to its Russian home. It now aims to make enough doses for at least 40 million Russians next year. The jabs will cost 420 yuan ($64), but the statement did not clarify which vaccine was being offered. Fosun Pharma has brought two BioNTech candidate COVID-19 vaccines into clinical trials in China and is yet to receive regulatory approval for either. Fosun Pharma is majority-owned by Fosun International, a Chinese conglomerate that owns France-based resort giant Club Med and travel firm Thomas Cook.

Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun Pharma to buy 100 million doses of BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine

After the UK government approved the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-becomes-first-country-to-approve-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-for-general-use-346858">Pfizer-BioNTech's</a> coronavirus vaccine, German firm BioNTech said it has taken steps to accelerate the process together with authorities&nbsp;without shortcuts.

Watch:

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BioNTech said the first supply in the UK is expected within days based on existing supply agreement. The company said it will be the marketing and authorization holder in the UK, US, EU and certain other countries with Pfizer which will market and distribute BNT162b2 in most countries.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Exciting news: We received the world’s first authorization of a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vaccine</a>, with @MHRA granting emergency use authorization in the UK. More regulatory decisions may come in 2020. More information: <a href="https://t.co/8Fpa22leS5">https://t.co/8Fpa22leS5</a> <a href="https://t.co/mTIO48RgnN">pic.twitter.com/mTIO48RgnN</a>
— BioNTech SE (@BioNTech_Group) <a href="https://twitter.com/BioNTech_Group/status/1334032545768484864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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BioNTech said the formal conditional marketing authorization application was submitted following the rolling review with the European Medicines Agency(EMA).

"We received the world’s first authorization of a COVID19 vaccine, with MHRA granting emergency use authorization in the UK," the company had said earlier.

Amid the euphoria over the vaccine, PM Johnson said: "It's fantastic, the vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week. It's the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-vaccines-may-be-targetted-by-criminals-warns-interpol-346905">Pfizer</a> had announced its vaccine in early November with stage III clinical trial results.

"This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the UK," BioNTech CEO Bourla said.

"As we anticipate further authorisations and approvals, we are focused on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world," Bourla added.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to meet on December 10 to discuss emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the European Medicines Agency set to give emergency approval for the vaccine by December 29.

After the UK government approved the Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine, German firm BioNTech said it has taken steps to accelerate the process together with authorities without shortcuts.

After the UK government approved the Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine, German firm BioNTech said it has taken steps to accelerate the process together with authorities without shortcuts. Watch: BioNTech said the first supply in the UK is expected within days based on existing supply agreement. The company said it will be the marketing and authorization holder in the UK, US, EU and certain other countries with Pfizer which will market and distribute BNT162b2 in most countries. Exciting news: We received the world’s first authorization of a #COVID19 #vaccine, with @MHRA granting emergency use authorization in the UK. More regulatory decisions may come in 2020. More information: https://t.co/8Fpa22leS5 pic.twitter.com/mTIO48RgnN — BioNTech SE (@BioNTech_Group) December 2, 2020 × BioNTech said the formal conditional marketing authorization application was submitted following the rolling review with the European Medicines Agency(EMA). "We received the world’s first authorization of a COVID19 vaccine, with MHRA granting emergency use authorization in the UK," the company had said earlier. Amid the euphoria over the vaccine, PM Johnson said: "It's fantastic, the vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week. It's the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again." Pfizer had announced its vaccine in early November with stage III clinical trial results. "This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the UK," BioNTech CEO Bourla said. "As we anticipate further authorisations and approvals, we are focused on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world," Bourla added. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to meet on December 10 to discuss emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the European Medicines Agency set to give emergency approval for the vaccine by December 29.

Took steps to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine process without shortcuts: German firm BioNTech

US pharma giant Pfizer along with German company BioNTech have applied for EU regulatory approval for coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-predicts-availability-of-covid-19-vaccines-before-christmas-346646">vaccine</a>, the company said today.

Watch:

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Pfizer-BioNTech submitted an application "for Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA)" after declaring that the vaccine was 95 per cent effective against COVID-19.

The company said if approved it could be rolled out "in Europe before the end of 2020".&nbsp;

The European continent has registered over 400,000 deaths with UK, Spain, Italy and Germany being the worst-hit countries, in the past few months the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/leaked-documents-show-china-bluntly-lied-about-covid-19-and-mishandled-early-pandemic-346590">virus </a>has impacted eastern Europe as well with several countries now under partial lockdown as the battle a second wave.

The UK which is set to emerge from a lockdown on December 2 has decided to impose strict tier 3 lockdown in much of the country as it battles the virus.&nbsp;

However, the French government allowed shops to open ahead of the busy Christmas holidays with businesses hit on a large scale due to the virus. Belgium which has been hit hard due to the virus in recent months has also allowed shops to reopen from today.

Germany which has so far been successful in combating the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-scientists-now-claim-coronavirus-originated-in-india-in-summer-2019-346039">virus</a> has seen a surge in cases with economy minister Peter Altmaier declaring that Germans still has "three or four long winter months ahead."

Moderna had earlier said it was filing for "emergency authorization" of its vaccine in the United States and Europe after it said the vaccine was estimated to be 94.1 per cent effective.

Moderna said it expects approximately 20 million doses of the vaccine to be ready in the US by the end of this year. The United States is the worst-hit country with over 267,000 coronavirus fatalities and 12 million cases.

The death toll due to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/coronavirus-spread-china-must-allow-global-probe-to-ascertain-origin-of-covid-19-291113">virus </a>worldwide has reached 1.4 million with over 60 million infected.

US pharma giant Pfizer along with German company BioNTech have applied for EU regulatory approval for coronavirus vaccine, the company said today. Watch: Pfizer-BioNTech submitted an application "for Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA)" after declaring that the vaccine was 95 per cent effective against COVID-19.

US pharma giant Pfizer along with German company BioNTech have applied for EU regulatory approval for coronavirus vaccine, the company said today. Watch: Pfizer-BioNTech submitted an application "for Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA)" after declaring that the vaccine was 95 per cent effective against COVID-19. The company said if approved it could be rolled out "in Europe before the end of 2020". The European continent has registered over 400,000 deaths with UK, Spain, Italy and Germany being the worst-hit countries, in the past few months the virus has impacted eastern Europe as well with several countries now under partial lockdown as the battle a second wave. The UK which is set to emerge from a lockdown on December 2 has decided to impose strict tier 3 lockdown in much of the country as it battles the virus. However, the French government allowed shops to open ahead of the busy Christmas holidays with businesses hit on a large scale due to the virus. Belgium which has been hit hard due to the virus in recent months has also allowed shops to reopen from today. Germany which has so far been successful in combating the virus has seen a surge in cases with economy minister Peter Altmaier declaring that Germans still has "three or four long winter months ahead." Moderna had earlier said it was filing for "emergency authorization" of its vaccine in the United States and Europe after it said the vaccine was estimated to be 94.1 per cent effective. Moderna said it expects approximately 20 million doses of the vaccine to be ready in the US by the end of this year. The United States is the worst-hit country with over 267,000 coronavirus fatalities and 12 million cases. The death toll due to the virus worldwide has reached 1.4 million with over 60 million infected.

'In Europe before the end of 2020': Pfizer-BioNTech files for EU approval of coronavirus vaccine

As the coronavirus cases across the world continue to rise, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-censors-taiwan-under-a-live-stream-of-its-press-conference-342571">World Health Organization</a>(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the UN health body is encouraged by "preliminary results of clinical trials released this week."

Watch:

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The WHO chief was referring to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-signs-deal-with-pfizer-for-potential-covid-19-vaccine-342970"> Pfizer</a> and BioNTech who had announced their vaccine had proved 90 per cent effective in final phase trials involving over 40,000 people.

"Never in history has vaccine research progressed so quickly. We must apply the same urgency and innovation to ensure that all countries benefit from this scientific achievement," Tedros said, adding," I urge all countries to follow Thailand’s lead. No country can say it was well-enough prepared for COVID-19, or that it has no lessons to learn."

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"Never in history has vaccine research progressed so quickly. We must apply the same urgency and innovation to ensuring that all countries benefit from this scientific achievement"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ACTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1327203635315535872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Pfizer's potential <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-times-of-coronavirus-this-place-is-witnessing-overtourism-342963">coronavirus v</a>accine is likely to be a two-dose treatment as the world impatiently awaits a cure for the virus which has already killed over 1.3 million people while infected over 52 million worldwide.

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"There is no doubt that a vaccine will be a vital tool for controlling the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> pandemic, and we’re encouraged by the preliminary results of clinical trials released this week"-<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrTedros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ACTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHA73?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WHA73</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1327203633910394883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"But we have a long way to go. The world cannot put all its eggs in one basket, and neglect the many other tools at our disposal that countries like Thailand have shown are effective for bringing this virus under control," the WHO chief asserted.

"The virus itself has not changed significantly, and nor have the measures needed to stop it."

However, Tedros reiterated that the World Health Assembly has at times been used for "political purposes that divide, rather than to focus on shared health challenges".

"The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown that there is an urgent need for a globally agreed system for sharing pathogen materials and clinical samples, to facilitate the rapid development of medical countermeasures as global public goods," Tedros asserted.

As the coronavirus cases across the world continue to rise, World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the UN health body is encouraged by "preliminary results of clinical trials released this week.

As the coronavirus cases across the world continue to rise, World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the UN health body is encouraged by "preliminary results of clinical trials released this week." Watch: The WHO chief was referring to Pfizer and BioNTech who had announced their vaccine had proved 90 per cent effective in final phase trials involving over 40,000 people. "Never in history has vaccine research progressed so quickly. We must apply the same urgency and innovation to ensure that all countries benefit from this scientific achievement," Tedros said, adding," I urge all countries to follow Thailand’s lead. No country can say it was well-enough prepared for COVID-19, or that it has no lessons to learn." "Never in history has vaccine research progressed so quickly. We must apply the same urgency and innovation to ensuring that all countries benefit from this scientific achievement"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #WHA73 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 13, 2020 × Pfizer's potential coronavirus vaccine is likely to be a two-dose treatment as the world impatiently awaits a cure for the virus which has already killed over 1.3 million people while infected over 52 million worldwide. "There is no doubt that a vaccine will be a vital tool for controlling the #COVID19 pandemic, and we’re encouraged by the preliminary results of clinical trials released this week"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #WHA73 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 13, 2020 × "But we have a long way to go. The world cannot put all its eggs in one basket, and neglect the many other tools at our disposal that countries like Thailand have shown are effective for bringing this virus under control," the WHO chief asserted. "The virus itself has not changed significantly, and nor have the measures needed to stop it." However, Tedros reiterated that the World Health Assembly has at times been used for "political purposes that divide, rather than to focus on shared health challenges". "The COVID-19 pandemic has also shown that there is an urgent need for a globally agreed system for sharing pathogen materials and clinical samples, to facilitate the rapid development of medical countermeasures as global public goods," Tedros asserted.

'World cannot put all eggs in one basket': WHO chief Tedros 'encouraged' by coronavirus clinical trials

The US and Europe are in line to get the first doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine after a partnership between Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE delivered dazzling preliminary results in a large patient trial.

Countries queue for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Thursday vaccine developers should push to make billions of their COVID-19 vaccines to ensure access to all parts of the world, instead of focusing on the rich countries.

Fauci hopeful about the prospects for a successful COVID-19 vaccine