The United Kingdom is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors clinics. The vaccine will be available in Britain from December 08.

UK gets ready for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine rollout this week

As the US Food and Drugs Association(FDA) prepares to judge the efficacy of COVID-19<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-begins-mass-covid-19-vaccination-with-its-sputnik-v-shot-347693"> vaccines</a> this month, US President-elect Joe Biden said the vaccine won't be made "mandatory" but he would do everything in his "powers as president" to encourage people to do the "right thing".

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bahrain-becomes-second-country-to-approve-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-347711/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Biden when asked if the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/haryana-minister-anil-vij-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-trial-covaxin-shot-347705">vaccine</a> should be made mandatory, said: "No, I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it be mandatory but I would do everything in my power - just like I don't think masks have to be made mandatory nationwide."

"I'll do everything in my power as President of the United States to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, to demonstrate that it matters,"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-officially-clinches-electoral-college-win-as-california-certifies-347604"> Biden</a> asserted.

A panel of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) had said that health workers and nursing home residents should get vaccinated first with non-binding recommendations for "Phase 1a" distribution to US states.

Reports say the US is set to vaccinate at least 40 million people this month if both Pfizer and Moderna are approved with both vaccines needing two shots. CDC said that after December US authorities expect to receive between five and 10 million doses per week.&nbsp;

The FDA will be meeting on December 10 to evaluate the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which the company says is 95 effective.&nbsp;

The Trump administration had started "Operation Warp Speed" to develop a coronavirus vaccine as the number of infections rose in the United States earlier this year. The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 14.3 million cases and over 278,900 deaths.

Vice-President Mike Pence had earlier that the CDC approval of the coronavirus vaccine could be "a week-and-a-half away."&nbsp;

As the US Food and Drugs Association(FDA) prepares to judge the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines this month, US President-elect Joe Biden said the vaccine won't be made "mandatory" but he would do everything in his "powers as president" to encourage people to do the "right thing".

As the US Food and Drugs Association(FDA) prepares to judge the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines this month, US President-elect Joe Biden said the vaccine won't be made "mandatory" but he would do everything in his "powers as president" to encourage people to do the "right thing". Watch: Biden when asked if the vaccine should be made mandatory, said: "No, I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it be mandatory but I would do everything in my power - just like I don't think masks have to be made mandatory nationwide." "I'll do everything in my power as President of the United States to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, to demonstrate that it matters," Biden asserted. A panel of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) had said that health workers and nursing home residents should get vaccinated first with non-binding recommendations for "Phase 1a" distribution to US states. Reports say the US is set to vaccinate at least 40 million people this month if both Pfizer and Moderna are approved with both vaccines needing two shots. CDC said that after December US authorities expect to receive between five and 10 million doses per week. The FDA will be meeting on December 10 to evaluate the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which the company says is 95 effective. The Trump administration had started "Operation Warp Speed" to develop a coronavirus vaccine as the number of infections rose in the United States earlier this year. The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 14.3 million cases and over 278,900 deaths. Vice-President Mike Pence had earlier that the CDC approval of the coronavirus vaccine could be "a week-and-a-half away."

I wouldn't demand it be mandatory: Biden on vaccine

India is one of the leading vaccine suppliers to the world with Indian vaccine manufacturers sending more than one billion shots abroad every year. There are eight vaccine candidates that could be made in India.

On Tuesday, India received a special delivery from Moscow. The containers contain vials of the Sputnik V the Russian vaccine that's undergoing trials in India. Russia will supply 100 million doses of Sputnik V to India.

There are more than 100 vaccine candidates under development across the world out of this eight are the most promising. They include Serum Institute's Covishield, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech,&nbsp;Sputnik V, India's Covaxin, Zycovd from Zydus Cadilla, shot from biological e and Gennova biopharmaceutical's vaccine.

According to data from the Duke University, India has access to a potential 1.6 billion doses presuming most vaccines need two shots, the supply covers nearly 60 per cent of India's population.

One billion doses are from Novavax - the American biotech company. Novavax has signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce these shots. The same company that will supply 500 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. The remaining 100 million shots will be of Sputnik V.

The makers of this Russian vaccine have tied up with Dr Reddys and pharma company Hetero. India has set ambitious targets for its vaccine rollout by July 2021, India plans to vaccinate one out of five Indians that means 200 to 250 million citizens would be in line to get the shot.

The Indian government would need 400 to 500 million vaccine shots to achieve the target but India is in a good position to meet this target because of its status as the world's leading vaccine maker.

Indian vaccine makers supply 40 per cent of the global capacity. India produces 2.3 billion doses of vaccines annually out of this 74 per cent are meant for export. India now has a major responsibility on its shoulders, it not only has to provide enough vaccines for its citizens but Indian vaccine makers also have to pitch in to fill in the global supply gaps.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi says a cheap yet effective vaccine is coming soon. The world's eyes are now on New Delhi's next move.

India is one of the leading vaccine suppliers to the world with Indian vaccine manufacturers sending more than one billion shots abroad every year. There are eight vaccine candidates that could be made in India.

India is one of the leading vaccine suppliers to the world with Indian vaccine manufacturers sending more than one billion shots abroad every year. There are eight vaccine candidates that could be made in India. On Tuesday, India received a special delivery from Moscow. The containers contain vials of the Sputnik V the Russian vaccine that's undergoing trials in India. Russia will supply 100 million doses of Sputnik V to India. There are more than 100 vaccine candidates under development across the world out of this eight are the most promising. They include Serum Institute's Covishield, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V, India's Covaxin, Zycovd from Zydus Cadilla, shot from biological e and Gennova biopharmaceutical's vaccine. According to data from the Duke University, India has access to a potential 1.6 billion doses presuming most vaccines need two shots, the supply covers nearly 60 per cent of India's population. One billion doses are from Novavax - the American biotech company. Novavax has signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce these shots. The same company that will supply 500 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. The remaining 100 million shots will be of Sputnik V. The makers of this Russian vaccine have tied up with Dr Reddys and pharma company Hetero. India has set ambitious targets for its vaccine rollout by July 2021, India plans to vaccinate one out of five Indians that means 200 to 250 million citizens would be in line to get the shot. The Indian government would need 400 to 500 million vaccine shots to achieve the target but India is in a good position to meet this target because of its status as the world's leading vaccine maker. Indian vaccine makers supply 40 per cent of the global capacity. India produces 2.3 billion doses of vaccines annually out of this 74 per cent are meant for export. India now has a major responsibility on its shoulders, it not only has to provide enough vaccines for its citizens but Indian vaccine makers also have to pitch in to fill in the global supply gaps. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi says a cheap yet effective vaccine is coming soon. The world's eyes are now on New Delhi's next move.

India's COVID-19 vaccine target: 1 out of 5 citizen to get jab by July, 2021

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said.

In leaping ahead of the United States to allow mass inoculations, Britain added to the pressure on US drug regulators, who were summoned to the White House on Tuesday by President Donald Trump’s chief of staff to explain why they were not ready to do the same.

Why did Britain authorize a vaccine before the US?

The two countries vet vaccines differently. While US regulators pore over raw data from vaccine makers to validate their results, their counterparts in Britain and elsewhere lean more heavily on companies’ own analyses.

The US Food and Drug Administration also consults an outside panel of experts before it decides. In the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, that panel will meet December 10. British regulators seek opinions from a specialist committee, too, but that group has the flexibility to review data and meet as it needs to. In all, the committee met for more than 40 hours about the Pfizer vaccine, its chairman said Wednesday.

Like US regulators, their British counterparts, whose decisions are seen as influential, have been reviewing vaccine data as it arrived. Experts have been testing vaccines for quality, batch by batch, and reading more than 1,000 pages of data. And different teams worked in parallel, rather than waiting for other parts of the review to finish.

“If you’re climbing a mountain, you prepare and prepare,” Dr. June Raine, the chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said Wednesday. “We started that in June.”

When early results arrived November 10, she said, “We were at base camp.” And later, she said, “When we got the final analysis, we were ready for that last sprint.”

What about the rest of Europe?

Britain broke from the European Union’s regulatory orbit to approve a vaccine early, owing to emergency powers that the bloc gives countries in the case of a pandemic. Once Britain consummates its split from the European Union on December 31, those powers to approve vaccines on its own will become permanent.

The countries that remain in the European Union are waiting for its regulator, the European Medicines Agency, to authorize a vaccine. Like the FDA, the European regulator has scheduled a meeting during which it will consult outside experts and offer an opinion on the Pfizer vaccine. That will happen December 29.

The agency’s job is complicated by its obligation to solicit the views of all 27 EU countries. That process has been accelerated during the pandemic, but it will still take several days for countries to weigh in after the December 29 meeting, which is likely to delay vaccinations until early January.

When will the first doses arrive in Britain?

Pfizer plans to ship 800,000 doses to Britain in the coming days. Starting Tuesday night, those doses were being prepared for shipping at a factory in Puurs, Belgium, BioNTech said.

The doses will be packaged in boxes of several thousand doses each, with dry ice keeping them at the South Pole-like temperatures they require, before they are put on trucks or planes and taken to Britain. They will arrive in government distribution warehouses by the weekend, Pfizer said Wednesday.

British hospitals have already begun emailing staff members to schedule vaccinations, with a London hospital system indicating that its first doses will be given at 7 am Monday. Britain placed advance orders for 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine but most of those are expected to be administered next year. Each patient needs two, a month apart.

Does authorization in Britain affect other countries’ supply of the vaccine?

The British decision will not in itself bring vaccinations closer anywhere else. But Pfizer executives said Wednesday that they had already heard from other countries that, in light of Britain’s go-ahead, were looking to accelerate their own approval processes.

US regulators, despite months of pressure from Trump, have maintained that they will follow their plan and review Pfizer’s vaccine to the FDA’s standards.

The United States has pre-ordered 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Most of its supply will come from a separate factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Still, many questions remain about how vaccine makers like Pfizer will fulfill the orders of wealthier nations that have procured supplies in advance.

Britain’s ruling offered little relief to poorer countries that could not afford to buy supplies in advance and may struggle to pay for both the vaccines and the exceptional demands of distributing them.

Who will be vaccinated first in Britain?

A government advisory body released its list of vaccine priority groups Wednesday. At the top of the list are nursing home residents and workers, followed by people older than 80 and health and social care workers.

In practice, though, government officials have indicated that frontline hospital workers may be quicker to receive vaccines because of the difficulties of storing and moving the Pfizer vaccine to nursing homes and other sites. It has to be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit) until days before injection.

Pfizer has said that the vaccine can survive for five days in a normal refrigerator. But Britain’s National Health Service still has to consider issues like staffing at non-hospital sites and transport difficulties within the country in deciding how to administer the vaccine.

The National Health Service has roughly 150,000 doctors and more than 330,000 nurses and midwives.

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said.

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said. In leaping ahead of the United States to allow mass inoculations, Britain added to the pressure on US drug regulators, who were summoned to the White House on Tuesday by President Donald Trump’s chief of staff to explain why they were not ready to do the same. Why did Britain authorize a vaccine before the US? The two countries vet vaccines differently. While US regulators pore over raw data from vaccine makers to validate their results, their counterparts in Britain and elsewhere lean more heavily on companies’ own analyses. The US Food and Drug Administration also consults an outside panel of experts before it decides. In the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, that panel will meet December 10. British regulators seek opinions from a specialist committee, too, but that group has the flexibility to review data and meet as it needs to. In all, the committee met for more than 40 hours about the Pfizer vaccine, its chairman said Wednesday. Like US regulators, their British counterparts, whose decisions are seen as influential, have been reviewing vaccine data as it arrived. Experts have been testing vaccines for quality, batch by batch, and reading more than 1,000 pages of data. And different teams worked in parallel, rather than waiting for other parts of the review to finish. “If you’re climbing a mountain, you prepare and prepare,” Dr. June Raine, the chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said Wednesday. “We started that in June.” When early results arrived November 10, she said, “We were at base camp.” And later, she said, “When we got the final analysis, we were ready for that last sprint.” What about the rest of Europe? Britain broke from the European Union’s regulatory orbit to approve a vaccine early, owing to emergency powers that the bloc gives countries in the case of a pandemic. Once Britain consummates its split from the European Union on December 31, those powers to approve vaccines on its own will become permanent. The countries that remain in the European Union are waiting for its regulator, the European Medicines Agency, to authorize a vaccine. Like the FDA, the European regulator has scheduled a meeting during which it will consult outside experts and offer an opinion on the Pfizer vaccine. That will happen December 29. The agency’s job is complicated by its obligation to solicit the views of all 27 EU countries. That process has been accelerated during the pandemic, but it will still take several days for countries to weigh in after the December 29 meeting, which is likely to delay vaccinations until early January. When will the first doses arrive in Britain? Pfizer plans to ship 800,000 doses to Britain in the coming days. Starting Tuesday night, those doses were being prepared for shipping at a factory in Puurs, Belgium, BioNTech said. The doses will be packaged in boxes of several thousand doses each, with dry ice keeping them at the South Pole-like temperatures they require, before they are put on trucks or planes and taken to Britain. They will arrive in government distribution warehouses by the weekend, Pfizer said Wednesday. British hospitals have already begun emailing staff members to schedule vaccinations, with a London hospital system indicating that its first doses will be given at 7 am Monday. Britain placed advance orders for 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine but most of those are expected to be administered next year. Each patient needs two, a month apart. Does authorization in Britain affect other countries’ supply of the vaccine? The British decision will not in itself bring vaccinations closer anywhere else. But Pfizer executives said Wednesday that they had already heard from other countries that, in light of Britain’s go-ahead, were looking to accelerate their own approval processes. US regulators, despite months of pressure from Trump, have maintained that they will follow their plan and review Pfizer’s vaccine to the FDA’s standards. The United States has pre-ordered 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Most of its supply will come from a separate factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Still, many questions remain about how vaccine makers like Pfizer will fulfill the orders of wealthier nations that have procured supplies in advance. Britain’s ruling offered little relief to poorer countries that could not afford to buy supplies in advance and may struggle to pay for both the vaccines and the exceptional demands of distributing them. Who will be vaccinated first in Britain? A government advisory body released its list of vaccine priority groups Wednesday. At the top of the list are nursing home residents and workers, followed by people older than 80 and health and social care workers. In practice, though, government officials have indicated that frontline hospital workers may be quicker to receive vaccines because of the difficulties of storing and moving the Pfizer vaccine to nursing homes and other sites. It has to be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit) until days before injection. Pfizer has said that the vaccine can survive for five days in a normal refrigerator. But Britain’s National Health Service still has to consider issues like staffing at non-hospital sites and transport difficulties within the country in deciding how to administer the vaccine. The National Health Service has roughly 150,000 doctors and more than 330,000 nurses and midwives.

'We were at base camp': Why the UK approved a vaccine first

As the UK approved the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/took-steps-to-accelerate-covid-19-vaccine-process-without-shortcuts-german-firm-biontech-346949">Pfizer-BioNTech's</a> coronavirus vaccine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered "large-scale" vaccinations in the country with the Sputnik V.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/biontech-news-conference-on-covid-19-vaccine-that-got-approval-by-uk-346955/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu had said earlier that military had started a mass coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-becomes-first-country-to-approve-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-for-general-use-346858">vaccination</a> campaign aimed at vaccinating 400,000 servicemen. The defence ministry had announced that 2,500 soldiers were already been vaccinated.

"I would ask you to organise the work so that by the end of next week we will have started this large-scale vaccination," Putin said. The Russian president asserted that teachers and health workers would be the first to get the vaccine.

Russian authorities had said that the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine was 95 per cent effective, according to preliminary data. It was the world's first coronavirus vaccine which was unveiled by Putin in August.

The defence ministry was involved in the initial stages of developing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/clinical-trials-of-sputnik-v-vaccine-begin-in-india-346752">Sputnik V</a> which has been named after the Soviet-era satellite.&nbsp;

Russia has been hit hard with the virus recording 25,487 new coronavirus infections last week taking the total number of COVID-19 cases to over 2,187,990 along with over 38,000 fatalities with Putin declaring the situation as "alarming".

The country has been hit by a second wave of the virus even as authorities have been downplaying the severity of the health crisis. Last month President Putin had announced that Russia had registered a second <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-vaccines-may-be-targetted-by-criminals-warns-interpol-346905">vaccine</a>, EpiVacCorona.

Russian health minister Mikhail Murashko had said that manufacturers would begin mass-producing vaccines in December or January.

As the UK approved the Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered "large-scale" vaccinations in the country with the Sputnik V.

As the UK approved the Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered "large-scale" vaccinations in the country with the Sputnik V. Watch: Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu had said earlier that military had started a mass coronavirus vaccination campaign aimed at vaccinating 400,000 servicemen. The defence ministry had announced that 2,500 soldiers were already been vaccinated. "I would ask you to organise the work so that by the end of next week we will have started this large-scale vaccination," Putin said. The Russian president asserted that teachers and health workers would be the first to get the vaccine. Russian authorities had said that the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine was 95 per cent effective, according to preliminary data. It was the world's first coronavirus vaccine which was unveiled by Putin in August. The defence ministry was involved in the initial stages of developing the Sputnik V which has been named after the Soviet-era satellite. Russia has been hit hard with the virus recording 25,487 new coronavirus infections last week taking the total number of COVID-19 cases to over 2,187,990 along with over 38,000 fatalities with Putin declaring the situation as "alarming". The country has been hit by a second wave of the virus even as authorities have been downplaying the severity of the health crisis. Last month President Putin had announced that Russia had registered a second vaccine, EpiVacCorona. Russian health minister Mikhail Murashko had said that manufacturers would begin mass-producing vaccines in December or January.

After UK, Putin orders mass COVID-19 vaccination in Russia from next week

Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week.

"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," the department of health said in a statement.

"The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week," the statement said, with priority groups including care home residents, health and care staff.

To this end, Pfizer said Britain's emergency use authorisation marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19.

"This authorisation 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 U.K.,” said CEO Albert Bourla.

"As we anticipate further authorisations and approvals, we are focussed on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world."

Britain will start vaccinating people against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine next week.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-vaccines-may-be-targetted-by-criminals-warns-interpol-346905">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Covid vaccines may be targetted by criminals, warns Interpol</a>

"From early next week we will start a programme of vaccinating people against COVID-19 here in this country," health minister Matt Hancock&nbsp;told Sky News, calling it "fantastic news".

(with inputs)

Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week. "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," the department of health said in a statement.

Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week. "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," the department of health said in a statement. "The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week," the statement said, with priority groups including care home residents, health and care staff. To this end, Pfizer said Britain's emergency use authorisation marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19. "This authorisation 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 U.K.,” said CEO Albert Bourla. "As we anticipate further authorisations and approvals, we are focussed on moving with the same level of urgency to safely supply a high-quality vaccine around the world." Britain will start vaccinating people against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine next week. ALSO READ | Covid vaccines may be targetted by criminals, warns Interpol "From early next week we will start a programme of vaccinating people against COVID-19 here in this country," health minister Matt Hancock told Sky News, calling it "fantastic news". (with inputs)

UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use

Days after the company and the university described the Covid vaccine shots as "highly effective", AstraZeneca and Oxford University have acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-shows-70-efficacy-can-be-90-effective-trial-data-reveals-344807">Also read: Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine shows 70% efficacy; can be 90% effective, trial data reveals</a> 
 
On November 23, British-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford had said that the Coronavirus vaccine they are developing is 70.4 per cent effective, on an average, in preventing COVID-19, as per the interim analysis of its late-stage clinical trials conducted in the UK and Brazil.

A statement describing the error made no mention of why some study participants didn't receive as much vaccine in the first of two shots as expected.

In a surprise, the group of volunteers that got a lower dose seemed to be much better protected than the volunteers who got two full doses.

In the low-dose group, AstraZeneca said, the vaccine appeared to be 90 per cent effective.

In the group that got two full doses, the vaccine appeared to be 62 per cent effective.

But the way in which the results were arrived at and reported by the companies has led to pointed questions from experts.

The partial results announced on Monday are from large ongoing studies in the UK and Brazil designed to determine the optimal dose of vaccine, as well as examine safety and effectiveness.

Multiple combinations and doses were tried in the volunteers.

They were compared to others who were given a meningitis vaccine or a saline shot.

Meanwhile, China's leading vaccine producer Sinopharm announced on Wednesday that it has submitted an application to the Chinese authorities for marketisation of its COVID-19 vaccine based on data collected from countries carrying out its clinical trials.

A representative of Sinopharm told state-run Global Times that the company had collected data from major countries such as UAE carrying out its vaccine clinical trials.

Results are expected to be good but it is up to the Chinese authorities to make the decision as the government has strict review standards.

Sinopharm previously told the daily that it had reported the phase-III clinical data to China's State Food and Drug Administration and was in the process of giving more detailed data, as requested.

The vaccine maker says it is in the final stage before marketisation, and is now making approval for the marketisation of the vaccine its top priority.

It will be possible to release the phase three data in academic journals after the approval.

"Our data is evaluated by relevant departments following protocols even stricter than in some Western countries, and we are in close communication with the WHO," a representative of Sinopharm told the daily earlier.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing last week that five Chinese vaccine candidates are under clinical trials in countries including the UAE, Brazil, Pakistan and Peru.

Sinopharm, China's state-owned vaccine producer, said on November 19 that its vaccine has been administered to about a million people under the government's emergency use scheme.

"In terms of emergency use, the vaccines were applied to nearly a million people and there has not been a single case of a serious adverse event. People have had only mild symptoms," Liu Jingzhen, chairman of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), said in an interview with a Sichuan-based digital media company that was published on Wednesday.

"Until now, all our progress, from research to clinical trials to production and emergency use, we have been leading the world," he was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on last Thursday.

His comments came amid criticism that Chinese firms have not publicised the clinical data of its vaccine studies.

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after the company and the university described the Covid vaccine shots as "highly effective", AstraZeneca and Oxford University have acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine.

Days after the company and the university described the Covid vaccine shots as "highly effective", AstraZeneca and Oxford University have acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine. Also read: Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine shows 70% efficacy; can be 90% effective, trial data reveals On November 23, British-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford had said that the Coronavirus vaccine they are developing is 70.4 per cent effective, on an average, in preventing COVID-19, as per the interim analysis of its late-stage clinical trials conducted in the UK and Brazil. A statement describing the error made no mention of why some study participants didn't receive as much vaccine in the first of two shots as expected. In a surprise, the group of volunteers that got a lower dose seemed to be much better protected than the volunteers who got two full doses. In the low-dose group, AstraZeneca said, the vaccine appeared to be 90 per cent effective. In the group that got two full doses, the vaccine appeared to be 62 per cent effective. But the way in which the results were arrived at and reported by the companies has led to pointed questions from experts. The partial results announced on Monday are from large ongoing studies in the UK and Brazil designed to determine the optimal dose of vaccine, as well as examine safety and effectiveness. Multiple combinations and doses were tried in the volunteers. They were compared to others who were given a meningitis vaccine or a saline shot. Meanwhile, China's leading vaccine producer Sinopharm announced on Wednesday that it has submitted an application to the Chinese authorities for marketisation of its COVID-19 vaccine based on data collected from countries carrying out its clinical trials. A representative of Sinopharm told state-run Global Times that the company had collected data from major countries such as UAE carrying out its vaccine clinical trials. Results are expected to be good but it is up to the Chinese authorities to make the decision as the government has strict review standards. Sinopharm previously told the daily that it had reported the phase-III clinical data to China's State Food and Drug Administration and was in the process of giving more detailed data, as requested. The vaccine maker says it is in the final stage before marketisation, and is now making approval for the marketisation of the vaccine its top priority. It will be possible to release the phase three data in academic journals after the approval. "Our data is evaluated by relevant departments following protocols even stricter than in some Western countries, and we are in close communication with the WHO," a representative of Sinopharm told the daily earlier. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing last week that five Chinese vaccine candidates are under clinical trials in countries including the UAE, Brazil, Pakistan and Peru. Sinopharm, China's state-owned vaccine producer, said on November 19 that its vaccine has been administered to about a million people under the government's emergency use scheme. "In terms of emergency use, the vaccines were applied to nearly a million people and there has not been a single case of a serious adverse event. People have had only mild symptoms," Liu Jingzhen, chairman of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), said in an interview with a Sichuan-based digital media company that was published on Wednesday. "Until now, all our progress, from research to clinical trials to production and emergency use, we have been leading the world," he was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on last Thursday. His comments came amid criticism that Chinese firms have not publicised the clinical data of its vaccine studies. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 vaccine: AstraZeneca acknowledges manufacturing error, study results affected

The Oxford University and British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca have announced on Monday that their vaccine for the novel coronavirus could be around 70% effective under one dosing regimen. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-vaccine-could-reach-first-americans-by-december-11-top-health-official-344800">Also read | Covid vaccine could reach first Americans by December 11: Top health official</a> 
 
"Today marks an important milestone in the fight against #COVID19. Interim data show the #OxfordVaccine is 70.4% effective, &amp; tests on two dose regimens show that it could be 90%, moving us one step closer to supplying it at low cost around the world," the University of Oxford Tweeted.

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Today marks an important milestone in the fight against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>. Interim data show the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OxfordVaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OxfordVaccine</a> is 70.4% effective, &amp; tests on two dose regimens show that it could be 90%, moving us one step closer to supplying it at low cost around the world&gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/fnHnKSqftT">https://t.co/fnHnKSqftT</a> <a href="https://t.co/2KYXPxFNz1">pic.twitter.com/2KYXPxFNz1</a>
— University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) <a href="https://twitter.com/UniofOxford/status/1330769567409385474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The vaccine&nbsp;developed in the UK by AstraZeneca and Oxford University ‘will save many lives’, says scientist. 
 
"This project is the result of global collaboration and support from partners, funders and researchers around the world. We’re grateful for their cooperation and hard work - without them, the #OxfordVaccine wouldn’t have been possible," the University said.

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This project is the result of global collaboration and support from partners, funders and researchers around the world. We’re grateful for their cooperation and hard work - without them, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OxfordVaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OxfordVaccine</a> wouldn’t have been possible.
— University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) <a href="https://twitter.com/UniofOxford/status/1330769994997755904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasal-spray-that-aims-to-fight-covid-19-other-respiratory-illness-gets-million-dollar-funding-344698">Nasal spray that aims to fight Covid-19, other respiratory illness gets million-dollar funding</a>

“This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency," AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said in a statement.

"Furthermore, the vaccine’s simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access mean it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval," he added.

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AstraZeneca said it is "making rapid progress in manufacturing with a capacity of up to 3 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021 on a rolling basis, pending regulatory approval. The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions (2-8 degrees Celsius/ 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Oxford University and British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca have announced on Monday that their vaccine for the novel coronavirus could be around 70% effective under one dosing regimen.

The Oxford University and British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca have announced on Monday that their vaccine for the novel coronavirus could be around 70% effective under one dosing regimen. Also read | Covid vaccine could reach first Americans by December 11: Top health official "Today marks an important milestone in the fight against #COVID19. Interim data show the #OxfordVaccine is 70.4% effective, & tests on two dose regimens show that it could be 90%, moving us one step closer to supplying it at low cost around the world," the University of Oxford Tweeted. Today marks an important milestone in the fight against #COVID19. Interim data show the #OxfordVaccine is 70.4% effective, & tests on two dose regimens show that it could be 90%, moving us one step closer to supplying it at low cost around the world>> https://t.co/fnHnKSqftT pic.twitter.com/2KYXPxFNz1 — University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) November 23, 2020 × The vaccine developed in the UK by AstraZeneca and Oxford University ‘will save many lives’, says scientist. "This project is the result of global collaboration and support from partners, funders and researchers around the world. We’re grateful for their cooperation and hard work - without them, the #OxfordVaccine wouldn’t have been possible," the University said. This project is the result of global collaboration and support from partners, funders and researchers around the world. We’re grateful for their cooperation and hard work - without them, the #OxfordVaccine wouldn’t have been possible. — University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) November 23, 2020 × Also Read | Nasal spray that aims to fight Covid-19, other respiratory illness gets million-dollar funding “This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency," AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said in a statement. "Furthermore, the vaccine’s simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access mean it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval," he added. × AstraZeneca said it is "making rapid progress in manufacturing with a capacity of up to 3 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021 on a rolling basis, pending regulatory approval. The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions (2-8 degrees Celsius/ 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings." (With inputs from agencies)

Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine shows 70% efficacy; can be 90% effective, trial data reveals

After announcing successful human trials of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine?page=3">coronavirus vaccine</a>, the&nbsp;US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the US.

The&nbsp;US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to meet on December 10 to decide on whether or not Pfizer vaccine can be given emergency use authorisation.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fauci-guarantees-accuracy-in-pfizer-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-data-344204">Fauci guarantees accuracy in Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine data</a>

The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," Stephen Hahn, organisation n head, said. "I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible."

A committee will be set up to review the effectiveness of the vaccine. As of now, it is not clear how long will the review process will take. However, the committee is hoping to give a green signal to the vaccine by the end of December.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the European bloc could also approve both before the end of the year.

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This is "a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world," said&nbsp;Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla.

The announcement has come a day after the&nbsp;United States top infectious disease official, Anthony Fauci, guaranteed the accuracy of the data&nbsp;of the two coronavirus vaccines being tested by Pfizer and Moderna.

Meanwhile, many European countries have entered the second lockdown after a second wave of the novel coronavirus swept over the world.&nbsp;

After announcing successful human trials of the coronavirus vaccine, the US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the US.

After announcing successful human trials of the coronavirus vaccine, the US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to meet on December 10 to decide on whether or not Pfizer vaccine can be given emergency use authorisation. Also read| Fauci guarantees accuracy in Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine data The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," Stephen Hahn, organisation n head, said. "I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible." A committee will be set up to review the effectiveness of the vaccine. As of now, it is not clear how long will the review process will take. However, the committee is hoping to give a green signal to the vaccine by the end of December. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the European bloc could also approve both before the end of the year. × This is "a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world," said Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla. The announcement has come a day after the United States top infectious disease official, Anthony Fauci, guaranteed the accuracy of the data of the two coronavirus vaccines being tested by Pfizer and Moderna. Meanwhile, many European countries have entered the second lockdown after a second wave of the novel coronavirus swept over the world.

Pfizer-BioNTech apply for COVID-19 vaccine approval in US

The year 2020 began with a grim atmosphere as the novel coronavirus took over the world, sending billions of people around the globe in a lockdown. The situation became worse as the year progressed and the world lost millions to the deadly virus.

However, now, as the&nbsp;end of the year is nearing, scientists are inching closer to developing a coronavirus vaccine. To add to the good news, a British study has now found that people who have been affected by the virus once are unlikely to contract the deadly disease again at least for the next six months.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-apply-for-covid-19-vaccine-approval-in-us-344445">Pfizer-BioNTech apply for COVID-19 vaccine approval in US</a>

This study, the World Health Organization (WHO) says is a hope the world needed at this point of the year. "This is really good news to see that we are seeing sustained levels of immune response in humans so far," said Mike Ryan,&nbsp;WHO’s top emergency expert. "It also gives us hope on the vaccine side."

However, WHO's technical lead on COVID-19,&nbsp;Kerkhove, has asked people and researchers to exercise caution even after the study has been proved right. "We still need to follow these individuals for a longer period of time to see how long immunity lasts," said&nbsp;Kerkhove.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fauci-guarantees-accuracy-in-pfizer-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-data-344204">Fauci guarantees accuracy in Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine data</a>

The news has come after the US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the country on Friday.

"The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," Stephen Hahn, organisation n head, said. "I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible."

The year 2020 began with a grim atmosphere as the novel coronavirus took over the world, sending billions of people around the globe in a lockdown. The situation became worse as the year progressed and the world lost millions to the deadly virus.

The year 2020 began with a grim atmosphere as the novel coronavirus took over the world, sending billions of people around the globe in a lockdown. The situation became worse as the year progressed and the world lost millions to the deadly virus. However, now, as the end of the year is nearing, scientists are inching closer to developing a coronavirus vaccine. To add to the good news, a British study has now found that people who have been affected by the virus once are unlikely to contract the deadly disease again at least for the next six months. Also read| Pfizer-BioNTech apply for COVID-19 vaccine approval in US This study, the World Health Organization (WHO) says is a hope the world needed at this point of the year. "This is really good news to see that we are seeing sustained levels of immune response in humans so far," said Mike Ryan, WHO’s top emergency expert. "It also gives us hope on the vaccine side." However, WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, Kerkhove, has asked people and researchers to exercise caution even after the study has been proved right. "We still need to follow these individuals for a longer period of time to see how long immunity lasts," said Kerkhove. Also read| Fauci guarantees accuracy in Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine data The news has come after the US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the country on Friday. "The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," Stephen Hahn, organisation n head, said. "I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible."

Study claims COVID-19 immunity lasts at least six months; WHO signals hope

The manufacturers of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/oxfords-covid-19-vaccine-will-be-ready-by-december-serum-institute-ceo-adar-poonawalla-338684">Oxford-AstraZeneca</a> coronavirus vaccine have said that it produced fewer side effects in people aged 56 and over in phase 2 trial results.

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The manufacturers said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-vaccine-produces-immune-response-among-the-elderly-and-young-alike-raising-hopes-of-effectiveness-338078">vaccine</a> was undergoing comprehensive phase 3 trials to confirm the results. The vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford and&nbsp;AstraZeneca.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-coronavirus-vaccine-deliveries-could-begin-before-christmas-344012">Also Read:&nbsp;Pfizer vaccine deliveries could begin before Christmas, if 'all goes well'</a>

The report said, "local and systemic reactions were more common in participants given ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 than in those given the control vaccine, and similar in nature to those previously reported (injection-site pain, feeling feverish, muscle ache, headache), but were less common in older adults (aged 56 years and above) than younger adults."

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NEW—UK’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> vaccine shows similar safety and immunogenicity results in healthy older adults (aged 56 years &amp; over) to those seen in adults aged 18-55 years: finding from a single-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial <a href="https://t.co/OKDSySPwfK">https://t.co/OKDSySPwfK</a> <a href="https://t.co/JyXRk5ZzPT">pic.twitter.com/JyXRk5ZzPT</a>
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLancet/status/1329318995544186881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"In those receiving two standard doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, after the prime vaccination local reactions were reported in 43 (88 per cent) of 49 participants in the 18–55 years group, 22 (73 per cent) of 30 in the 56–69 years group, and 30 (61 per cent) of 49 in the 70 years and older group, and systemic reactions in 42 (86 per cent) participants in the 18–55 years group, 23 (77 per cent) in the 56–69 years group, and 32 (65 per cent) in the 70 years and older group," it said.

"As of Oct 26, 2020, 13 serious adverse events occurred during the study period, none of which were considered to be related to either study vaccine."

The current findings concluded that "ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 appears to be better tolerated in older adults than in younger adults and has similar immunogenicity across all age groups after a booster dose. Further assessment of the efficacy of this vaccine is warranted in all age groups and individuals with comorbidities."

Andre Pollard, an Oxford professor and lead author of the research told the Lancet medical journal that "it is crucial that COVID-19 vaccines are tested in this group who are also a priority group for immunisation."

The phase 2 trial involved 560 participants out of which 240 were over 70 and researchers said that responses were "similar" across all age groups.

The race for the coronavirus vaccine has picked up pace in recent weeks with Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna announcing the results of phase 3 trials.

According to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-accuses-who-chief-dr-tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus-of-supporting-tigray-region-344085">World Health Organization</a>(WHO), Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is one of 48 which is currently undergoing human trials against coronavirus.&nbsp;

The manufacturers of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine have said that it produced fewer side effects in people aged 56 and over in phase 2 trial results. Watch: The manufacturers said the vaccine was undergoing comprehensive phase 3 trials to confirm the results.

The manufacturers of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine have said that it produced fewer side effects in people aged 56 and over in phase 2 trial results. Watch: The manufacturers said the vaccine was undergoing comprehensive phase 3 trials to confirm the results. The vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. Also Read: Pfizer vaccine deliveries could begin before Christmas, if 'all goes well' The report said, "local and systemic reactions were more common in participants given ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 than in those given the control vaccine, and similar in nature to those previously reported (injection-site pain, feeling feverish, muscle ache, headache), but were less common in older adults (aged 56 years and above) than younger adults." NEW—UK’s #COVID19 vaccine shows similar safety and immunogenicity results in healthy older adults (aged 56 years & over) to those seen in adults aged 18-55 years: finding from a single-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial https://t.co/OKDSySPwfK pic.twitter.com/JyXRk5ZzPT — The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 19, 2020 × "In those receiving two standard doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, after the prime vaccination local reactions were reported in 43 (88 per cent) of 49 participants in the 18–55 years group, 22 (73 per cent) of 30 in the 56–69 years group, and 30 (61 per cent) of 49 in the 70 years and older group, and systemic reactions in 42 (86 per cent) participants in the 18–55 years group, 23 (77 per cent) in the 56–69 years group, and 32 (65 per cent) in the 70 years and older group," it said. "As of Oct 26, 2020, 13 serious adverse events occurred during the study period, none of which were considered to be related to either study vaccine." The current findings concluded that "ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 appears to be better tolerated in older adults than in younger adults and has similar immunogenicity across all age groups after a booster dose. Further assessment of the efficacy of this vaccine is warranted in all age groups and individuals with comorbidities." Andre Pollard, an Oxford professor and lead author of the research told the Lancet medical journal that "it is crucial that COVID-19 vaccines are tested in this group who are also a priority group for immunisation." The phase 2 trial involved 560 participants out of which 240 were over 70 and researchers said that responses were "similar" across all age groups. The race for the coronavirus vaccine has picked up pace in recent weeks with Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna announcing the results of phase 3 trials. According to the World Health Organization(WHO), Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is one of 48 which is currently undergoing human trials against coronavirus.

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine safe for older adults, results show

As US pharma giant Pfizer announced that its coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/final-results-show-coronavirus-vaccine-95-effective-says-pfizer-343912">vaccine</a> is 95 per cent effective, the Indian government said that it is a "big challenge" to arrange the cold-chain storage needed to store the COVID-19 vaccine.

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NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul who heads the National Task Force on COVID-19, asserted that the government was examining the possibility of acquiring Pfizer's vaccine.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-to-begin-vaccine-delivery-programme-in-four-us-states-343698">Also Read:&nbsp;Pfizer to begin vaccine delivery programme in four US states</a>

The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius. However, the NITI Aayog member said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lead-scientist-behind-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-ugur-sahin-says-life-will-not-return-to-normal-till-next-winter-343465">vaccine</a> won't be arriving in the country soon, but informed that the government would be working "out a strategy" to acquire and store the vaccine.

Paul underlined that the government was "watching the developments" as Pfizer prepares to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA), and moves to get regulatory approvals.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pfizer-in-talks-with-government-to-bring-its-covid-19-vaccine-to-india-report-342387">Pfizer</a> had earlier said that it would apply for Emergency Use Authorization in the third week of November while stating that it was "very close" to submit its findings to the US regulators.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Wednesday that its vaccine had "no serious side effects" and it will apply for emergency use authorization from FDA within days. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/volunteers-face-severe-hangover-headache-and-pain-after-getting-pfizer-vaccine-shot-342518">Pfizer's</a> vaccine is being co-developed along with Germany's BioNTech.

"With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day, we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world," &nbsp;Bourla said.

According to Moncef Slaoui, head of Trump administration's "Operation Warp Speed" initiative the FDA may approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine early next month and added that from January, 25 million people in the United States would be vaccinated per month.

As US pharma giant Pfizer announced that its coronavirus vaccine is 95 per cent effective, the Indian government said that it is a "big challenge" to arrange the cold-chain storage needed to store the COVID-19 vaccine.

As US pharma giant Pfizer announced that its coronavirus vaccine is 95 per cent effective, the Indian government said that it is a "big challenge" to arrange the cold-chain storage needed to store the COVID-19 vaccine. Watch: NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul who heads the National Task Force on COVID-19, asserted that the government was examining the possibility of acquiring Pfizer's vaccine. Also Read: Pfizer to begin vaccine delivery programme in four US states The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius. However, the NITI Aayog member said that the vaccine won't be arriving in the country soon, but informed that the government would be working "out a strategy" to acquire and store the vaccine. Paul underlined that the government was "watching the developments" as Pfizer prepares to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA), and moves to get regulatory approvals. Pfizer had earlier said that it would apply for Emergency Use Authorization in the third week of November while stating that it was "very close" to submit its findings to the US regulators. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Wednesday that its vaccine had "no serious side effects" and it will apply for emergency use authorization from FDA within days. Pfizer's vaccine is being co-developed along with Germany's BioNTech. "With hundreds of thousands of people around the globe infected every day, we urgently need to get a safe and effective vaccine to the world," Bourla said. According to Moncef Slaoui, head of Trump administration's "Operation Warp Speed" initiative the FDA may approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine early next month and added that from January, 25 million people in the United States would be vaccinated per month.

Indian government 'watching' Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine development, set to work out strategy to acquire it