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Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective against COVID: Latest study confirms As UK begins vaccination, COVID-19 cases in Europe top 20 million Hopeful I'l

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective against COVID: Latest study confirms As UK begins vaccination, COVID-19 cases in Europe top 20 million Hopeful I'll remain US president, says Trump on same day of legal defeat in US Supreme Court

Morning news brief: Covid vaccine, US polls and more

The United Kingdom has become the first western country to vaccinate its citizens. A 90-year-old grandmother became the world's first person to receive the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. What is India doing to get a hold of this vaccine?

Gravitas: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is here

In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bharat-biotech-seeks-emergency-use-authorisation-for-indian-covid-19-vaccine-expert-panel-to-review-348232">Also read: Bharat Biotech seeks emergency use authorisation for Indian Covid-19 vaccine; expert panel to review</a> 
 
The mass inoculation will fuel hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has crushed economies and killed more than 1.5 million, although ultra-cold storage and tricky logistics will limit its use for now. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/serum-institute-of-india-applies-for-emergency-use-authorisation-for-oxford-vaccine-348006">Also read: Serum Institute of India applies for emergency use authorisation for Oxford vaccine</a>

The director of the National Health Service (NHS) in England has said that the commencement of COVID-19 vaccinations on Tuesday "feels like the beginning of the end". 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-natural-immunity-from-covid-better-than-a-vaccine-347985">Is ‘natural immunity’ from COVID better than a vaccine?</a>

But he warned that what he describes as the "largest-scale vaccination campaign in our country's history" will be a "marathon, not a sprint".

"It will take many months for us to vaccinate everybody who needs vaccination," he said. 
 
Britain is the worst-hit European country from COVID-19, with over 61,000 deaths, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to turn the tide against the disease by rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the United States or European Union.

Britain approved the vaccine for emergency use less than a week ago and is rolling it out through its National Health Service (NHS).

"The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle with the pandemic," said NHS chief executive Simon Stevens. "NHS staff are proud to be leading the way as the first health service in the world to begin vaccination with this COVID jab"

In total Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million.

About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care home residents and carers, the over 80s and some health service workers the top priority to get them.

The roll-out provides a test case for Pfizer and BioNTech`s distribution networks. The shot must be stored at -70C (-94F) and only lasts five days in a regular fridge.

While Britain is relatively small and has good infrastructure, the logistical challenges mean it will first be applied in 50 hospitals and cannot yet be taken into care homes.

Pfizer and BioNTech said their shot proved 95% effective in preventing illness in final-stage trials. In all, Britain has ordered 357 million doses of seven different COVID-19 vaccines.

Russia and China have both started giving vaccine candidates to their populations before final safety and efficacy trials have been completed. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus.

In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus. Also read: Bharat Biotech seeks emergency use authorisation for Indian Covid-19 vaccine; expert panel to review The mass inoculation will fuel hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has crushed economies and killed more than 1.5 million, although ultra-cold storage and tricky logistics will limit its use for now. Also read: Serum Institute of India applies for emergency use authorisation for Oxford vaccine The director of the National Health Service (NHS) in England has said that the commencement of COVID-19 vaccinations on Tuesday "feels like the beginning of the end". Also read | Is ‘natural immunity’ from COVID better than a vaccine? But he warned that what he describes as the "largest-scale vaccination campaign in our country's history" will be a "marathon, not a sprint". "It will take many months for us to vaccinate everybody who needs vaccination," he said. Britain is the worst-hit European country from COVID-19, with over 61,000 deaths, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to turn the tide against the disease by rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the United States or European Union. Britain approved the vaccine for emergency use less than a week ago and is rolling it out through its National Health Service (NHS). "The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle with the pandemic," said NHS chief executive Simon Stevens. "NHS staff are proud to be leading the way as the first health service in the world to begin vaccination with this COVID jab" In total Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million. About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care home residents and carers, the over 80s and some health service workers the top priority to get them. The roll-out provides a test case for Pfizer and BioNTech`s distribution networks. The shot must be stored at -70C (-94F) and only lasts five days in a regular fridge. While Britain is relatively small and has good infrastructure, the logistical challenges mean it will first be applied in 50 hospitals and cannot yet be taken into care homes. Pfizer and BioNTech said their shot proved 95% effective in preventing illness in final-stage trials. In all, Britain has ordered 357 million doses of seven different COVID-19 vaccines. Russia and China have both started giving vaccine candidates to their populations before final safety and efficacy trials have been completed. (With inputs from agencies)

'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public

Hari Shukla, an Indian-origin man, will become one of the first people in the world to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as he is scheduled to get a shot of the&nbsp;Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Newcastle, the UK on Tuesday.

The 87-year-old man from&nbsp;Tyne and Wear says he feels it is his duty to be the first one to receive the first dose on the first day, which is being dubbed as 'V-Day' or 'Vaccination day'. "I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help," Shukla said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beginning-of-the-end-for-pandemic-britain-begins-roll-out-of-pfizers-drug-to-the-public-348249" hreflang="en">'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public</a>

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed this 'V Day' as a "huge step forward".&nbsp;

Shukla was contacted by the&nbsp;UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation as a part of the phased rollout plan, which is based&nbsp;at the highest risk of death from the deadly virus.

"Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they all work and the greatest respect for them - they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic," Shukla explained.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beginning-of-the-end-for-pandemic-britain-begins-roll-out-of-pfizers-drug-to-the-public-348249" hreflang="en">'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public</a>

Boris Johnson, while congratulating the experts and country on this achievement, also issued a call of caution saying even though the vaccine is being rolled out, people should still take care and practice social distancing.&nbsp;

"Today marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout," Johnson said.

As of now, the people over 80-years will be the ones receiving the vaccine. The UK authorities have carefully monitored the health graph of the recipients of the vaccine.

We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fight back against this terrible disease, and I am proud our health services across the United Kingdom are about to embark on our largest ever vaccination programme," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Hari Shukla, an Indian-origin man, will become one of the first people in the world to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as he is scheduled to get a shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Newcastle, the UK on Tuesday.

Hari Shukla, an Indian-origin man, will become one of the first people in the world to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as he is scheduled to get a shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Newcastle, the UK on Tuesday. The 87-year-old man from Tyne and Wear says he feels it is his duty to be the first one to receive the first dose on the first day, which is being dubbed as 'V-Day' or 'Vaccination day'. "I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help," Shukla said. Also read| 'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed this 'V Day' as a "huge step forward". Shukla was contacted by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation as a part of the phased rollout plan, which is based at the highest risk of death from the deadly virus. "Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they all work and the greatest respect for them - they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic," Shukla explained. Also read| 'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public Boris Johnson, while congratulating the experts and country on this achievement, also issued a call of caution saying even though the vaccine is being rolled out, people should still take care and practice social distancing. "Today marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout," Johnson said. As of now, the people over 80-years will be the ones receiving the vaccine. The UK authorities have carefully monitored the health graph of the recipients of the vaccine. We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fight back against this terrible disease, and I am proud our health services across the United Kingdom are about to embark on our largest ever vaccination programme," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Hari Shukla, Indian-origin man, among first in world to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Indian Pharmaceuticals firm Bharat Biotech is seeking emergency authorisation of its Coronavirus vaccine 'Covaxin'. This comes after Pfizer & Serum institute producing AstraZeneca vaccine have applied for the emergency use authorisation from DGCI.

India: Bharat Biotech latest to seek emergency use authorisation

Britain becomes the first Western country in the world to start mass vaccination programme against the COVID-19. UK is rolling out the vaccine manufactured by US pharma Pfizer & its German partner BioNTech.

UK becomes the first Western country to begin mass vaccination against COVID-19

An expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will meet on Wednesday to review applications of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech.

India to review vaccine applications on Dec 9

In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. President Donald Trump is aware of aliens from outer space and was about to disclose their existence before being stopped. Start your day with WION's news brief.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beginning-of-the-end-for-pandemic-britain-begins-roll-out-of-pfizers-drug-to-the-public-348249">'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bharat-biotech-seeks-emergency-use-authorisation-for-indian-covid-19-vaccine-expert-panel-to-review-348232">Bharat Biotech seeks emergency use authorisation for Indian Covid-19 vaccine; expert panel to review</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/another-one-hiker-finds-a-new-metal-monolith-in-the-netherlands-348252">Another one: Hiker finds a new metal monolith in the Netherlands</a> 
 
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In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

In what is perhaps the most critical development in the worldwide search for a shot, Britain will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. President Donald Trump is aware of aliens from outer space and was about to disclose their existence before being stopped. Start your day with WION's news brief. 'Beginning of the end' for pandemic: Britain begins roll-out of Pfizer's drug to the public Bharat Biotech seeks emergency use authorisation for Indian Covid-19 vaccine; expert panel to review Aliens exist but in hiding, until mankind is ready, says ex-Israeli space head Another one: Hiker finds a new metal monolith in the Netherlands

Morning news brief: UK begins vaccination, aliens on earth and more

This is a historic week&nbsp;in the fight against the Wuhan virus as two major <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine</a>&nbsp;programs are now underway.&nbsp;Russia and the United Kingdom have started inoculating their citizens against the novel coronavirus this week.

The world's big powers have been racing for a vaccine for months in an attempt to be the first to begin the long road to recovery.

The approval of a vaccine for use almost exactly a year since the novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, is a triumph for science,&nbsp;Pfizer&nbsp;boss Albert Bourla and his German biotechnology partner BioNTech.

Russia and the United Kingdom are the first two countries that have kickstarted the vaccination process giving them an edge over other countries.

Moscow wants to vaccinate up to seven million people, its Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, as&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;on Sunday reported yet another record high number of new COVID-19 cases.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russia-begins-large-scale-vaccination-as-coronavirus-cases-surge-347542">Russia begins large scale vaccination as coronavirus cases surge</a>

Moscow began distributing its Sputnik V COVID-19 shot via 70 clinics on Saturday to the most exposed groups, marking&nbsp;Russia's first large-scale vaccination against the disease.

The&nbsp;Russian-made vaccine will first be made available to doctors and other medical workers, teachers and social workers because they run the highest risk of exposure to the disease.

Russia&nbsp;reported a record daily increase of 29,039 new cases, taking the national total to 2,460,770 since the pandemic began, while the official national death toll rose to 43,141.

Russia, which has the world's fourth-highest number of coronavirus cases, puts high hopes on its vaccines but some scientists have raised concerns about the speed at which it gave the regulatory go-ahead and launched mass inoculations.

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Britain

Britain is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday.

Footage posted by the National Health Service (NHS) showed boxes containing doses of the vaccine being delivered to Croydon University Hospital in south London and being stored in a special, securely locked fridge.

The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the NHS giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents.

Britain gave emergency use approval for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech last week - jumping ahead in the global race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history.

In total, Britain has ordered 40 million doses. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million.

About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week.

Initial doses that have arrived from Belgium are being stored in secure locations across the country, where they will be quality checked, the health ministry said.

The&nbsp;rollout&nbsp;coincides with a crucial and perilous moment in negotiations between Britain and the European Union on a post-Brexit trade agreement.

This is a historic week in the fight against the Wuhan virus as two major vaccine programs are now underway. Russia and the United Kingdom have started inoculating their citizens against the novel coronavirus this week.

This is a historic week in the fight against the Wuhan virus as two major vaccine programs are now underway. Russia and the United Kingdom have started inoculating their citizens against the novel coronavirus this week. The world's big powers have been racing for a vaccine for months in an attempt to be the first to begin the long road to recovery. The approval of a vaccine for use almost exactly a year since the novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, is a triumph for science, Pfizer boss Albert Bourla and his German biotechnology partner BioNTech. Russia and the United Kingdom are the first two countries that have kickstarted the vaccination process giving them an edge over other countries. Moscow wants to vaccinate up to seven million people, its Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, as Russia on Sunday reported yet another record high number of new COVID-19 cases. Also see: Russia begins large scale vaccination as coronavirus cases surge Moscow began distributing its Sputnik V COVID-19 shot via 70 clinics on Saturday to the most exposed groups, marking Russia's first large-scale vaccination against the disease. The Russian-made vaccine will first be made available to doctors and other medical workers, teachers and social workers because they run the highest risk of exposure to the disease. Russia reported a record daily increase of 29,039 new cases, taking the national total to 2,460,770 since the pandemic began, while the official national death toll rose to 43,141. Russia, which has the world's fourth-highest number of coronavirus cases, puts high hopes on its vaccines but some scientists have raised concerns about the speed at which it gave the regulatory go-ahead and launched mass inoculations. × Britain Britain is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday. Footage posted by the National Health Service (NHS) showed boxes containing doses of the vaccine being delivered to Croydon University Hospital in south London and being stored in a special, securely locked fridge. The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the NHS giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents. Britain gave emergency use approval for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech last week - jumping ahead in the global race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history. In total, Britain has ordered 40 million doses. As each person requires two doses, that is enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million. About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week. Initial doses that have arrived from Belgium are being stored in secure locations across the country, where they will be quality checked, the health ministry said. The rollout coincides with a crucial and perilous moment in negotiations between Britain and the European Union on a post-Brexit trade agreement.

Coronavirus vaccine rollout: Russia and UK begin inoculating their citizens

According to reports, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine within weeks, after UK regulators granted emergency approval and the world's first rollout which begins this week.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II to get COVID-19 vaccine in weeks: Reports

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

The US company Pfizer Inc, whose vaccine was recently approved by the British government, has written to the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) for emergency use authorisation of its coronavirus vaccine in India.

News Alert: Pfizer seeking emergency NOD from DCGI for India

The UK is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week. It plans to make the shot initially available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday.

Britain gave emergency use approval for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech last week -- jumping ahead in the global race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history.

The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the National Health Service (NHS) giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents.

In total, Britain has ordered 40 million doses - enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million. About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week.

Initial doses that have arrived from Belgium are being stored in secure locations across the country, where they will be quality checked, the health ministry said.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has onerous storage requirements. It needs to be kept at -70C (-94F) and only lasts five days in a regular fridge.

The health ministry to this end said the vaccine would first be administered in 50 hospitals. It said it would take a few hours to defrost each vaccine and prepare it for use.

NHS England has written to general practitioners, telling them to get ready to start giving vaccinations through local doctors' services from December 14.

Rather than run clinics in individual surgeries, groups of local doctors will operate more than 1,000 vaccination centres across the country, the government said.

Britain is among the first nations to roll out vaccinations outside the context of a clinic trial, raising hopes that the tide could soon turn against a virus that has killed nearly 1.5 million people globally and hammered the world economy.

Russia began distributing its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine through 70 clinics in Moscow on Saturday, although the shot has not finished its final trials.

The UK is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week. It plans to make the shot initially available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday.

The UK is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week. It plans to make the shot initially available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday. Britain gave emergency use approval for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech last week -- jumping ahead in the global race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history. The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the National Health Service (NHS) giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents. In total, Britain has ordered 40 million doses - enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million. About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week. Initial doses that have arrived from Belgium are being stored in secure locations across the country, where they will be quality checked, the health ministry said. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has onerous storage requirements. It needs to be kept at -70C (-94F) and only lasts five days in a regular fridge. The health ministry to this end said the vaccine would first be administered in 50 hospitals. It said it would take a few hours to defrost each vaccine and prepare it for use. NHS England has written to general practitioners, telling them to get ready to start giving vaccinations through local doctors' services from December 14. Rather than run clinics in individual surgeries, groups of local doctors will operate more than 1,000 vaccination centres across the country, the government said. Britain is among the first nations to roll out vaccinations outside the context of a clinic trial, raising hopes that the tide could soon turn against a virus that has killed nearly 1.5 million people globally and hammered the world economy. Russia began distributing its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine through 70 clinics in Moscow on Saturday, although the shot has not finished its final trials.

UK gets ready for roll-out of Pfizer's Covid vaccine this week

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest.&nbsp;

The British Queen and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip are in line to get the vaccine early due to their age, the Mail on Sunday claimed.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The report also said that the British royals would get vaccinated "to encourage more people to take up the vital jab" amid fears peddled by anti-vaxxers.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anthony-fauci-backtracks-on-uk-vaccine-comments-apologises-for-misunderstanding-347555">Anthony Fauci backtracks on UK vaccine comments; apologises for 'misunderstanding'</a>

The Daily Mirror also reported a number of high-profile personalities in Britain who had committed to publicly get inoculated.&nbsp;

Buckingham Palace has so far not commented on the development.&nbsp;

Britain on Wednesday granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and now people most at risk and elderly are set to be the first set of individuals who will get the drug.

Elderly care home residents and their carers will get the jab first, followed by those aged 80 and more and frontline health and care professionals.&nbsp;

Rest of the elderly people and clinically extremely vulnerable will then get inoculated.

The remaining population will then get vaccinated according to their age.&nbsp;

The UK has pre-ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine and will be receiving an initial batch of 800,000 doses to start next week's rollout.

 
&nbsp;

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the coronavirus vaccine within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest.

Queen Elizabeth II will receive the coronavirus vaccine within weeks after the United Kingdom granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech for its drug, reports suggest. The British Queen and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip are in line to get the vaccine early due to their age, the Mail on Sunday claimed. Watch | The report also said that the British royals would get vaccinated "to encourage more people to take up the vital jab" amid fears peddled by anti-vaxxers. Also read | Anthony Fauci backtracks on UK vaccine comments; apologises for 'misunderstanding' The Daily Mirror also reported a number of high-profile personalities in Britain who had committed to publicly get inoculated. Buckingham Palace has so far not commented on the development. Britain on Wednesday granted emergency approval to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and now people most at risk and elderly are set to be the first set of individuals who will get the drug. Elderly care home residents and their carers will get the jab first, followed by those aged 80 and more and frontline health and care professionals. Rest of the elderly people and clinically extremely vulnerable will then get inoculated. The remaining population will then get vaccinated according to their age. The UK has pre-ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine and will be receiving an initial batch of 800,000 doses to start next week's rollout.

Queen Elizabeth II to receive coronavirus vaccine within weeks: Reports

UK is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine this week.

UK is getting Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine this week

With the imminent arrival of coronavirus vaccines that will need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, US companies are gearing up for a massive logistical effort to aid their distribution.

Automaker Ford has ordered its own freezers while meat processing giant Smithfield said it is ready to put the cold room at its abattoirs at the disposal of vaccine roll-out operations.

Companies specializing in insulating containers have already been on a war footing for weeks.

US logistics giant UPS is already producing 1100 lbs (500 kilos) of dry ice an hour in its depots and has developed portable freezers capable of storing the vaccines at temperatures of between -4 to -112 Fahrenheit (-20 and -80 Celsius).

But companies not directly linked to the manufacture, storage or transport of vaccines are also stepping up.

"We have assessed our ultra-low freezer capabilities and capacity and are ready and willing to assist health agencies if storage capacity becomes constrained," said meat giant Smithfield's chief administrative director, Keira Lombardo.

The meatpacker, which suffered a large number of cases of Covid-19 in some of its US slaughterhouses, said it now stands ready to help authorities distribute the vaccine, particularly to workers in the agricultural and food-supply sector, Lombardo said.

For its part, Ford has ordered a dozen ultra-cold freezers in anticipation of the arrival of vaccines, to offer them to employees who want them when they are available.

When the virus began to spread in the spring in the United States, the company had to temporarily close its factories. The group has since resumed its activities but with strict health precautions.

"The health and safety of our workforce is our top priority," a spokesman told AFP.

General Motors has not gone that far but said it was in contact with US government agencies and health officials to "coordinate as needed when the distribution plans are made available."

With the imminent arrival of coronavirus vaccines that will need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, US companies are gearing up for a massive logistical effort to aid their distribution.

With the imminent arrival of coronavirus vaccines that will need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, US companies are gearing up for a massive logistical effort to aid their distribution. Automaker Ford has ordered its own freezers while meat processing giant Smithfield said it is ready to put the cold room at its abattoirs at the disposal of vaccine roll-out operations. Companies specializing in insulating containers have already been on a war footing for weeks. US logistics giant UPS is already producing 1100 lbs (500 kilos) of dry ice an hour in its depots and has developed portable freezers capable of storing the vaccines at temperatures of between -4 to -112 Fahrenheit (-20 and -80 Celsius). But companies not directly linked to the manufacture, storage or transport of vaccines are also stepping up. "We have assessed our ultra-low freezer capabilities and capacity and are ready and willing to assist health agencies if storage capacity becomes constrained," said meat giant Smithfield's chief administrative director, Keira Lombardo. The meatpacker, which suffered a large number of cases of Covid-19 in some of its US slaughterhouses, said it now stands ready to help authorities distribute the vaccine, particularly to workers in the agricultural and food-supply sector, Lombardo said. For its part, Ford has ordered a dozen ultra-cold freezers in anticipation of the arrival of vaccines, to offer them to employees who want them when they are available. When the virus began to spread in the spring in the United States, the company had to temporarily close its factories. The group has since resumed its activities but with strict health precautions. "The health and safety of our workforce is our top priority," a spokesman told AFP. General Motors has not gone that far but said it was in contact with US government agencies and health officials to "coordinate as needed when the distribution plans are made available."

US firms gear up for distribution of Covid vaccines

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A successful vaccine rollout could be the last chance for Johnson’s government to show competence, after botching virtually every other step of its response to the pandemic, from tardy lockdowns to a costly, ineffective test-and-trace program — all of which contributed to the country having the highest death toll in Europe.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-eu-call-in-leaders-to-save-trade-talks-johnson-eu-chief-to-hold-emergency-call-347665/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It also comes just as Britain has reached a climactic stage in its long negotiations with the European Union for a post-Brexit trading relationship. Allies of Johnson were quick to claim that the swift approval of the vaccine vindicated the Brexit project.

That claim was quickly debunked. Nevertheless, the mass vaccination program will be an early test of how well Britain works once it is fully untethered from Europe.

“The British government is looking for ways to claim a victory because they’ve made such a bloody mess of the epidemic,” said David King, a former chief scientific adviser to the government who has become a vocal critic of its performance. “The nationalistic response is brutish and rather distasteful.”

Still, it is difficult to separate politics from public health. As the first vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rolled into Britain in refrigerated trucks from Belgium this week, negotiators in London were in the last stages of trying to stitch together a long-term, EU-British trade agreement. European officials expressed hope they could come to terms as soon as Sunday, though stumbling blocks remained.

The pandemic has raised the pressure on Johnson to strike a deal, since a failure could deepen the economic damage caused by multiple lockdowns. Yet the convergence of events could also be fortuitous, allowing the beleaguered prime minister to resolve an issue that has divided Britain for more than four years at the very moment that relief finally begins to arrive for a country ravaged by the virus.

Pro-Brexit politicians struck a bluntly nationalistic chord, saying Britain’s early approval of the vaccine was the first of many triumphs — though for all the fanfare, it may be only days ahead of U.S. authorization and a few weeks ahead of the EU.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said Britain moved faster than its neighbors because “we’re a much better country than every single one of them.” The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said European regulators were “a bit sniffy” that they had not yet managed to approve it.

“We have, we’re leaving, draw your own conclusions,” he declared. “We are now free of the dead hand of the European Union.”

In fact, the swift approval of the Pfizer vaccine was not enabled by Brexit. Although Britain formally left the EU last January, it continues to adhere to the bloc’s regulations until a transition period expires Dec. 31.

The British health regulator invoked an emergency power, available to all EU members, to move faster in the case of a pandemic.

Still, the optics of Britain striking out on its own, ahead of France and Germany, are appealing because they play into the pro-Brexit argument that a Britain unshackled from Brussels will be more agile and flexible, able to act as a free agent in the global market for everything from vaccines to ventilators.

“No one is very proud of our record on the pandemic,” said Jonathan Powell, a former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair. “But they believe we’re magically going to become a better country by being outside of Europe.”

If anything, Powell said, the Pfizer vaccine was a testament to the value of pre-Brexit, cross-border collaboration: It was developed by Turkish-born scientists at a German biotechnology firm, produced by an American pharmaceutical company and manufactured in a plant in Belgium.

Brexit has colored Johnson’s handling of the pandemic in ways obvious and subtle. Britain declined to join a multibillion-dollar EU vaccine purchasing fund and shunned a European consortium to buy ventilators. The latter decision provoked anxiety in the early days of the pandemic, when it looked as if hospitals might not have enough machines for their patients.

In the end, the hospitals were able to cope with the demand. On Monday, Johnson boasted that Britain, acting on its own, was the first country to preorder supplies of the Pfizer vaccine, securing 40 million doses. All told, it has ordered more than 350 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, hedging its bets in case some do not pan out.

But Johnson diverged from other European leaders in waiting until late March to impose a lockdown. This fall, amid a second wave of the virus, he again moved more tentatively than leaders on the Continent, imposing a nationwide lockdown only in November. Critics say those delays cost lives; Britain’s death toll just surpassed 60,000.

“While we were in lockdown, we appeared to do nothing about a test-trace-and-isolate system,” King said. “We still don’t have a system that has anywhere near the capacity we need.”

He and other experts expressed less concern about the British regulator’s rapid approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, they said, had a history of independence and a reputation across Europe for thoroughly vetting new drugs.

They also expressed confidence that the vaccine will be distributed through Britain’s National Health Service, not by private contractors, like the companies involved in the trouble-prone test-and-trace system.

Even so, there are worries about how to distribute the vaccine, which needs to be stored at ultracold temperatures. Before the first injections, the government abruptly changed the priority for who would get the shot first, ruling out those in nursing homes in favor of nursing home staff and people 80 and over in hospitals or with appointments there.

The government’s muddled messaging has damaged Johnson, not just with the public but also with members of his own Conservative Party. He had to fend off a rebellion among Conservatives in Parliament this week over tiered restrictions that replaced the nationwide lockdown lifted Tuesday.

Experts said they were hopeful that the arrival of a vaccine would leach some of the vitriol out of the debate over lockdowns. But the government’s messaging could be a weakness in winning broad public acceptance of the vaccine. In addition to anti-vaccination activists, experts said it would confront wariness from people who will question whether Britain rushed its approval.

“They need to think about people who are saying, ‘Why is this being pushed so quickly?’” said Devi Sridhar, director of the global health program at the University of Edinburgh, who added she would take it “tomorrow, if I could.”

Johnson named Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative member of Parliament with a background in public-opinion research, to coordinate the deployment of the vaccine. Zahawi, who has a degree in chemical engineering, co-founded YouGov, an internet polling company, which he later sold.

In YouGov’s polling on the vaccine — conducted last month after Pfizer reported positive results in clinical trials — two-thirds of those surveyed said they were “very likely” or “fairly likely” to take the vaccine when it becomes available. A fifth said they were unlikely to take it, while 12% said they were not sure.

“You’re going to have to see social influencers or health care workers lining up to take it,” Sridhar said.

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a coronavirus vaccine this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

LONDON — Britain’s approval of a coronavirus vaccine this week, beating every other Western country, would be a political gift for any leader. But perhaps none needs it as much as Prime Minister Boris Johnson. A successful vaccine rollout could be the last chance for Johnson’s government to show competence, after botching virtually every other step of its response to the pandemic, from tardy lockdowns to a costly, ineffective test-and-trace program — all of which contributed to the country having the highest death toll in Europe. Watch | It also comes just as Britain has reached a climactic stage in its long negotiations with the European Union for a post-Brexit trading relationship. Allies of Johnson were quick to claim that the swift approval of the vaccine vindicated the Brexit project. That claim was quickly debunked. Nevertheless, the mass vaccination program will be an early test of how well Britain works once it is fully untethered from Europe. “The British government is looking for ways to claim a victory because they’ve made such a bloody mess of the epidemic,” said David King, a former chief scientific adviser to the government who has become a vocal critic of its performance. “The nationalistic response is brutish and rather distasteful.” Still, it is difficult to separate politics from public health. As the first vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rolled into Britain in refrigerated trucks from Belgium this week, negotiators in London were in the last stages of trying to stitch together a long-term, EU-British trade agreement. European officials expressed hope they could come to terms as soon as Sunday, though stumbling blocks remained. The pandemic has raised the pressure on Johnson to strike a deal, since a failure could deepen the economic damage caused by multiple lockdowns. Yet the convergence of events could also be fortuitous, allowing the beleaguered prime minister to resolve an issue that has divided Britain for more than four years at the very moment that relief finally begins to arrive for a country ravaged by the virus. Pro-Brexit politicians struck a bluntly nationalistic chord, saying Britain’s early approval of the vaccine was the first of many triumphs — though for all the fanfare, it may be only days ahead of U.S. authorization and a few weeks ahead of the EU. The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said Britain moved faster than its neighbors because “we’re a much better country than every single one of them.” The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said European regulators were “a bit sniffy” that they had not yet managed to approve it. “We have, we’re leaving, draw your own conclusions,” he declared. “We are now free of the dead hand of the European Union.” In fact, the swift approval of the Pfizer vaccine was not enabled by Brexit. Although Britain formally left the EU last January, it continues to adhere to the bloc’s regulations until a transition period expires Dec. 31. The British health regulator invoked an emergency power, available to all EU members, to move faster in the case of a pandemic. Still, the optics of Britain striking out on its own, ahead of France and Germany, are appealing because they play into the pro-Brexit argument that a Britain unshackled from Brussels will be more agile and flexible, able to act as a free agent in the global market for everything from vaccines to ventilators. “No one is very proud of our record on the pandemic,” said Jonathan Powell, a former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair. “But they believe we’re magically going to become a better country by being outside of Europe.” If anything, Powell said, the Pfizer vaccine was a testament to the value of pre-Brexit, cross-border collaboration: It was developed by Turkish-born scientists at a German biotechnology firm, produced by an American pharmaceutical company and manufactured in a plant in Belgium. Brexit has colored Johnson’s handling of the pandemic in ways obvious and subtle. Britain declined to join a multibillion-dollar EU vaccine purchasing fund and shunned a European consortium to buy ventilators. The latter decision provoked anxiety in the early days of the pandemic, when it looked as if hospitals might not have enough machines for their patients. In the end, the hospitals were able to cope with the demand. On Monday, Johnson boasted that Britain, acting on its own, was the first country to preorder supplies of the Pfizer vaccine, securing 40 million doses. All told, it has ordered more than 350 million doses of seven vaccine candidates, hedging its bets in case some do not pan out. But Johnson diverged from other European leaders in waiting until late March to impose a lockdown. This fall, amid a second wave of the virus, he again moved more tentatively than leaders on the Continent, imposing a nationwide lockdown only in November. Critics say those delays cost lives; Britain’s death toll just surpassed 60,000. “While we were in lockdown, we appeared to do nothing about a test-trace-and-isolate system,” King said. “We still don’t have a system that has anywhere near the capacity we need.” He and other experts expressed less concern about the British regulator’s rapid approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, they said, had a history of independence and a reputation across Europe for thoroughly vetting new drugs. They also expressed confidence that the vaccine will be distributed through Britain’s National Health Service, not by private contractors, like the companies involved in the trouble-prone test-and-trace system. Even so, there are worries about how to distribute the vaccine, which needs to be stored at ultracold temperatures. Before the first injections, the government abruptly changed the priority for who would get the shot first, ruling out those in nursing homes in favor of nursing home staff and people 80 and over in hospitals or with appointments there. The government’s muddled messaging has damaged Johnson, not just with the public but also with members of his own Conservative Party. He had to fend off a rebellion among Conservatives in Parliament this week over tiered restrictions that replaced the nationwide lockdown lifted Tuesday. Experts said they were hopeful that the arrival of a vaccine would leach some of the vitriol out of the debate over lockdowns. But the government’s messaging could be a weakness in winning broad public acceptance of the vaccine. In addition to anti-vaccination activists, experts said it would confront wariness from people who will question whether Britain rushed its approval. “They need to think about people who are saying, ‘Why is this being pushed so quickly?’” said Devi Sridhar, director of the global health program at the University of Edinburgh, who added she would take it “tomorrow, if I could.” Johnson named Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative member of Parliament with a background in public-opinion research, to coordinate the deployment of the vaccine. Zahawi, who has a degree in chemical engineering, co-founded YouGov, an internet polling company, which he later sold. In YouGov’s polling on the vaccine — conducted last month after Pfizer reported positive results in clinical trials — two-thirds of those surveyed said they were “very likely” or “fairly likely” to take the vaccine when it becomes available. A fifth said they were unlikely to take it, while 12% said they were not sure. “You’re going to have to see social influencers or health care workers lining up to take it,” Sridhar said.

For Boris Johnson, a week to exorcise the demons of 2020

Bahrain said it had approved the emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech.

Bahrain becomes second country to approve Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

Britain will pay individuals who suffer any severe side-effects from COVID-19 vaccines under an existing programme, the government said on Thursday.

The announcement came ahead of a rollout of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine in the country following emergency approval.

COVID-19 will be added as a "precautionary step" to the list of diseases covered for potential liabilities under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS), the Department of Health and Social Care said. It added that vaccines would be deployed only after stringent checks.

Britain's VDPS was set up in 1979 and covers victims of side-effects caused by common vaccines, such as those against measles, influenza, smallpox and tetanus. In 2009 the vaccine against the H1N1 swine flu was also briefly added to the list.&nbsp;

The scheme is meant to dissuade people from seeking compensation through lengthy and costly court proceedings, but has been criticised for the cap and its restrictive conditions.

Compensation for any possible side-effects from a COVID-19 vaccine has been the subject of much debate in recent months, as drugmakers and governments around the world have worked in record time to develop and approve vaccines against the illness which has created havoc worldwide.

Under the scheme, individuals are entitled to a sum capped at 120,000 pounds ($161,676) if they can prove to have been seriously disabled as a result of a vaccination.

"The current scheme is not really adequate for the current situation. If adverse events occur, the route to compensation is too complicated. It would be much better if the government set up a bespoke scheme for COVID-19," said Duncan Fairgrieve, of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

Britain said it would continue to monitor the safety of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine after the country on Wednesday became the first in the Western world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine.

Britain will pay individuals who suffer any severe side-effects from COVID-19 vaccines under an existing programme, the government said on Thursday. The announcement came ahead of a rollout of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine in the country following emergency approval.

Britain will pay individuals who suffer any severe side-effects from COVID-19 vaccines under an existing programme, the government said on Thursday. The announcement came ahead of a rollout of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine in the country following emergency approval. COVID-19 will be added as a "precautionary step" to the list of diseases covered for potential liabilities under the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS), the Department of Health and Social Care said. It added that vaccines would be deployed only after stringent checks. Britain's VDPS was set up in 1979 and covers victims of side-effects caused by common vaccines, such as those against measles, influenza, smallpox and tetanus. In 2009 the vaccine against the H1N1 swine flu was also briefly added to the list. The scheme is meant to dissuade people from seeking compensation through lengthy and costly court proceedings, but has been criticised for the cap and its restrictive conditions. Compensation for any possible side-effects from a COVID-19 vaccine has been the subject of much debate in recent months, as drugmakers and governments around the world have worked in record time to develop and approve vaccines against the illness which has created havoc worldwide. Under the scheme, individuals are entitled to a sum capped at 120,000 pounds ($161,676) if they can prove to have been seriously disabled as a result of a vaccination. "The current scheme is not really adequate for the current situation. If adverse events occur, the route to compensation is too complicated. It would be much better if the government set up a bespoke scheme for COVID-19," said Duncan Fairgrieve, of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. Britain said it would continue to monitor the safety of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine after the country on Wednesday became the first in the Western world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine.

UK to cover COVID-19 vaccine side-effects under damages scheme

Britain hopes that millions of doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered by the end of the year but the total will depend on how quickly it can be manufactured, Britain`s business minister Alok Sharma said on Friday.

Britain approved Pfizer Inc`s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the rest of the world in the race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history.

Last month Britain said it expected 10 million doses of the shot in 2020, but the government has said the pace of roll-out will be dependence on delivery. It has ordered 40 million doses in all, enough to vaccinate 20 million people.

Sharma said he was confident the first batch of 800,000 doses would be in place to begin roll-out next week, but would not give an exact figure on how much Britain would get before the end of the month.

"We are starting initially with 800,000 and then let`s see where we end up by the end of the year in terms of the numbers that we acquire. That will depend on the manufacturing," Sharma said on Sky News.

"I hope we will have some millions by the end of this year but of course what we also always said is that the vast majority of this vaccination programme will take place in the new year."

Britain has used an emergency approval process to jump ahead of the European Union and United States in roll-out plans of the vaccine.

Top U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci apologised on Thursday for casting doubt on the rigour of the British regulators who approved it, saying he had faith in the quality of their work.

Sharma said that Britain`s Medicines &amp; Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the "gold standard" in the industry.

Britain hopes that millions of doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered by the end of the year but the total will depend on how quickly it can be manufactured, Britain`s business minister Alok Sharma said on Friday.

Britain hopes that millions of doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered by the end of the year but the total will depend on how quickly it can be manufactured, Britain`s business minister Alok Sharma said on Friday. Britain approved Pfizer Inc`s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the rest of the world in the race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history. Last month Britain said it expected 10 million doses of the shot in 2020, but the government has said the pace of roll-out will be dependence on delivery. It has ordered 40 million doses in all, enough to vaccinate 20 million people. Sharma said he was confident the first batch of 800,000 doses would be in place to begin roll-out next week, but would not give an exact figure on how much Britain would get before the end of the month. "We are starting initially with 800,000 and then let`s see where we end up by the end of the year in terms of the numbers that we acquire. That will depend on the manufacturing," Sharma said on Sky News. "I hope we will have some millions by the end of this year but of course what we also always said is that the vast majority of this vaccination programme will take place in the new year." Britain has used an emergency approval process to jump ahead of the European Union and United States in roll-out plans of the vaccine. Top U.S. infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci apologised on Thursday for casting doubt on the rigour of the British regulators who approved it, saying he had faith in the quality of their work. Sharma said that Britain`s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the "gold standard" in the industry.

UK hopes for millions of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine doses this year

The United States is expecting to give <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>to about 100 million people by the end of February 2021, a top official said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The vaccination is likely to begin in the US within weeks once Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna-NIH get approval.&nbsp;

Watch |

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-uk-approves-pfizer-vaccine-347037/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;"Between mid-December, and the end of February, we will have potentially immunised 100 million people," said Moncef Slaoui, scientific advisor to the US administration's Operation Warp Speed (OWS) program, as quoted by news agency AFP.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vaccines-insufficient-to-prevent-surge-in-coronavirus-for-next-six-months-who-347022">Vaccines insufficient to prevent surge in coronavirus for next six months: WHO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

If the US achieves this target, it will cover about 40 per cent of the US's adult population.&nbsp;

Slaoui also said that the goal of immunising 100 million people will cover the people "at-risk" that includes first responders, health care professionals and elderly.&nbsp;

There will an "ample" amount of Covid-19 vaccine in December for three million people from long-term care facilities, he added.&nbsp;

The remaining vaccination of the first tranche would be enough to cover the majority of the health care workers if states and other regions agree with federal recommendations to prioritize this group of people.&nbsp;

As many as 20 million people in the US will be immunised in December, 30 million and 50 million in January and February respectively.&nbsp;

However, this figure does not include vaccine developed by Johnson &amp; Johnson and Oxford-AstraZeneca that are in the late-stage trials.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved by the United Kingdom on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The US FDA will hold a public meeting of an advisory group on December 10 for Pfizer's vaccine and on December 17 for Moderna's drug following which it will be decided whether to grant an emergency use authorization (EUA) or not.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The United States is expecting to give coronavirus vaccine to about 100 million people by the end of February 2021, a top official said on Wednesday. The vaccination is likely to begin in the US within weeks once Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna-NIH get approval.

The United States is expecting to give coronavirus vaccine to about 100 million people by the end of February 2021, a top official said on Wednesday. The vaccination is likely to begin in the US within weeks once Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna-NIH get approval. Watch | "Between mid-December, and the end of February, we will have potentially immunised 100 million people," said Moncef Slaoui, scientific advisor to the US administration's Operation Warp Speed (OWS) program, as quoted by news agency AFP. Also read | Vaccines insufficient to prevent surge in coronavirus for next six months: WHO If the US achieves this target, it will cover about 40 per cent of the US's adult population. Slaoui also said that the goal of immunising 100 million people will cover the people "at-risk" that includes first responders, health care professionals and elderly. There will an "ample" amount of Covid-19 vaccine in December for three million people from long-term care facilities, he added. The remaining vaccination of the first tranche would be enough to cover the majority of the health care workers if states and other regions agree with federal recommendations to prioritize this group of people. As many as 20 million people in the US will be immunised in December, 30 million and 50 million in January and February respectively. However, this figure does not include vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson and Oxford-AstraZeneca that are in the late-stage trials. Meanwhile, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved by the United Kingdom on Wednesday. The US FDA will hold a public meeting of an advisory group on December 10 for Pfizer's vaccine and on December 17 for Moderna's drug following which it will be decided whether to grant an emergency use authorization (EUA) or not.

US to immunise 100 million people by February: Top official

Britain has become the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, giving the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech drug.

As authorities in the US and Europe probe other candidates, here is how countries have sped up their approval procedures to face up to the pandemic.

Britain: 'rolling reviews'

Britain was able to approve the Pfizer vaccine after the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave its all-clear.

The MHRA used a "rolling review" process from June to assess the vaccine in record time.

Teams of scientists had worked "around the clock" on different aspects of the safety assessment, often tackling several topics in parallel, MHRA chief June Raine said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock and others claimed that Britain's departure from the EU had allowed it to approve the vaccine faster than its continental neighbours.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-could-have-broken-out-in-us-before-being-officially-confirmed-in-china-347127">Coronavirus could have broken out in US before being officially confirmed in China</a> 
 
"Unlike the EMA (European Medicines Agency), they can ask questions as they go and obtain responses faster as a single agency," said Penny Ward, professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King's College London.

Raine insisted that "no corners whatsoever have been cut" in the vaccine approval process.

Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, told the BBC on Thursday that "I actually don't expect other regulators... to be very far behind with this vaccine," saying approvals elsewhere were likely "a matter of days".

EU: accelerated procedures

The Amsterdam-based EMA, which regulates medicines across the 27 EU countries, has also turned to a "rolling review" process for safety and effectiveness data from Covid-19 vaccine developers.

All three of the most advanced candidates -- Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford/Astrazeneca -- have been subject to the scheme for several weeks already.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-immunise-100-million-people-by-february-top-official-347067">US to immunise 100 million people by February: Top official</a> 
 
According to the EMA, the accelerated procedures are granted for medicines "that fulfil an unmet medical need on the basis of less complete data than normally required."

The normal pipeline for vaccines would see all the data collected and submitted at the very start of the authorisation process.

An EMA decision on Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine is expected "by December 29 at the latest", while a ruling on Moderna's version should follow by January 12.

It is up to the European Commission in Brussels to issue the final green light.

US: advisory committee

Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have requested emergency use authorisation (EUA) for their Covid-19 vaccines from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

But the American process is slower than the British one and involves a public consultation.

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The FDA carries out its own analysis of the vaccine and calls on an independent advisory committee.

"The FDA process is a completely transparent process with independent experts commenting and asking questions and recommending or advising the agency," Moncef Slaoui, scientific advisor to Washington's Operation Warp Speed (OWS) program, said Wednesday.

The advisory committee is scheduled for a December 10 meeting on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and for Moderna on December 17.

FDA decisions on the two drugs should follow those meetings. If the agency approves them, the vaccines could be available in the US -- the world's hardest-hit country with more than 270,000 deaths -- in December.

Russia: simplified procedure

Testing on medical products under development is carried out by the Russian health ministry's "scientific centre for evaluation of medicines".

According to its official vaccine website, "unlike many countries, there is a system of state testing, using comparable medications, a double-blind study and other control tests independent of the developers".

President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to simplify procedures for state registration of some medicines, so as to speed up approval for a vaccine.

Testing on the country's Sputnik V vaccine began in mid-February, and on August 1 the first and second phases of clinical trials were complete.

Authorities approved the inoculation on August 11 before Phase 3 trials had even begun. The large-scale study on 40,000 volunteers is now complete, but results have not been made public.

Putin has told authorities to begin "large-scale" vaccinations among at-risk populations from next week.

The drugs should be made generally available to the Russian public in early 2021.

Russia has also started a mass vaccination campaign in the army, expecting to vaccinate 80,000 soldiers by the end of this year and more than 400,000 servicemen in the future.

China: Last-stage trials and emergency use

China has four coronavirus vaccines in phase 3 trials -- typically the last step before regulatory approval -- but has not released much of its data.

Although regulators have yet to approve China's vaccines for mass distribution, the country has approved some advanced candidates for emergency use, giving jabs to people ranging from state employees to international students since July.

Nearly a million people have already taken an experimental vaccine by Sinopharm, the company said in November. Another firm, Sinovac Biotech, earlier said almost all its employees and their families had voluntarily taken its vaccine.

Britain has become the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, giving the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech drug. As authorities in the US and Europe probe other candidates, here is how countries have sped up their approval procedures to face up to the pandemic.

Britain has become the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, giving the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech drug. As authorities in the US and Europe probe other candidates, here is how countries have sped up their approval procedures to face up to the pandemic. Britain: 'rolling reviews' Britain was able to approve the Pfizer vaccine after the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave its all-clear. The MHRA used a "rolling review" process from June to assess the vaccine in record time. Teams of scientists had worked "around the clock" on different aspects of the safety assessment, often tackling several topics in parallel, MHRA chief June Raine said. Health Secretary Matt Hancock and others claimed that Britain's departure from the EU had allowed it to approve the vaccine faster than its continental neighbours. Also Read | Coronavirus could have broken out in US before being officially confirmed in China "Unlike the EMA (European Medicines Agency), they can ask questions as they go and obtain responses faster as a single agency," said Penny Ward, professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King's College London. Raine insisted that "no corners whatsoever have been cut" in the vaccine approval process. Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, told the BBC on Thursday that "I actually don't expect other regulators... to be very far behind with this vaccine," saying approvals elsewhere were likely "a matter of days". EU: accelerated procedures The Amsterdam-based EMA, which regulates medicines across the 27 EU countries, has also turned to a "rolling review" process for safety and effectiveness data from Covid-19 vaccine developers. All three of the most advanced candidates -- Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford/Astrazeneca -- have been subject to the scheme for several weeks already. Also Read | US to immunise 100 million people by February: Top official According to the EMA, the accelerated procedures are granted for medicines "that fulfil an unmet medical need on the basis of less complete data than normally required." The normal pipeline for vaccines would see all the data collected and submitted at the very start of the authorisation process. An EMA decision on Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine is expected "by December 29 at the latest", while a ruling on Moderna's version should follow by January 12. It is up to the European Commission in Brussels to issue the final green light. US: advisory committee Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have requested emergency use authorisation (EUA) for their Covid-19 vaccines from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But the American process is slower than the British one and involves a public consultation. × The FDA carries out its own analysis of the vaccine and calls on an independent advisory committee. "The FDA process is a completely transparent process with independent experts commenting and asking questions and recommending or advising the agency," Moncef Slaoui, scientific advisor to Washington's Operation Warp Speed (OWS) program, said Wednesday. The advisory committee is scheduled for a December 10 meeting on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and for Moderna on December 17. FDA decisions on the two drugs should follow those meetings. If the agency approves them, the vaccines could be available in the US -- the world's hardest-hit country with more than 270,000 deaths -- in December. Russia: simplified procedure Testing on medical products under development is carried out by the Russian health ministry's "scientific centre for evaluation of medicines". According to its official vaccine website, "unlike many countries, there is a system of state testing, using comparable medications, a double-blind study and other control tests independent of the developers". President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to simplify procedures for state registration of some medicines, so as to speed up approval for a vaccine. Testing on the country's Sputnik V vaccine began in mid-February, and on August 1 the first and second phases of clinical trials were complete. Authorities approved the inoculation on August 11 before Phase 3 trials had even begun. The large-scale study on 40,000 volunteers is now complete, but results have not been made public. Putin has told authorities to begin "large-scale" vaccinations among at-risk populations from next week. The drugs should be made generally available to the Russian public in early 2021. Russia has also started a mass vaccination campaign in the army, expecting to vaccinate 80,000 soldiers by the end of this year and more than 400,000 servicemen in the future. China: Last-stage trials and emergency use China has four coronavirus vaccines in phase 3 trials -- typically the last step before regulatory approval -- but has not released much of its data. Although regulators have yet to approve China's vaccines for mass distribution, the country has approved some advanced candidates for emergency use, giving jabs to people ranging from state employees to international students since July. Nearly a million people have already taken an experimental vaccine by Sinopharm, the company said in November. Another firm, Sinovac Biotech, earlier said almost all its employees and their families had voluntarily taken its vaccine.

How the world has sped up vaccine approvals

The U.K. has become the first country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. 800,000 shots are on its way to the U.K - and the country wants to start the vaccinating people next week. Who will get the shots first? Molly Gambhir has the answer.

Gravitas: U.K. approves Pfizer vaccine

The medical regulator of United Kingdom has officially approved the rollout of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Britain has became the first country in the world to approve the vaccine for widespread use.

WION Fineprint: UK becomes first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine

Britain has became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use and said that it will be made available for rollout across the UK from early next week.

BioNTech news conference on COVID-19 vaccine that got approval by UK

Watch: UK vaccine regulator briefs on rollout after Pfizer vaccine gets approval

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

Interpol said that it had issued a global alert to law enforcement across 194 member countries. It has warned them to prepare for organised crime networks to target coronavirus vaccines, both physically and online.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-becomes-first-country-to-approve-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-for-general-use-346858">UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use</a>

"As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains. Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock.

(With Reuters&nbsp;inputs)

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots.

Just as the UK became the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, Interpol on Wednesday had a grim warning. The Interpol global police co-ordination agency warned that organised criminal networks could be targeting COVID-19 vaccines, and could look to sell fake shots. Interpol said that it had issued a global alert to law enforcement across 194 member countries. It has warned them to prepare for organised crime networks to target coronavirus vaccines, both physically and online. Also Read | UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use "As governments are preparing to roll out vaccines, criminal organisations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains. Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives," said Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock. (With Reuters inputs)

Covid vaccines may be targetted by criminals, warns Interpol

After the United Kingdom approved an emergency authorisation request for the general use of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the drug regulator of the European Union claimed that a longer process to ascertain the safety of vaccines is required.

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It added that their approval process, which takes longer, is safer than the emergency use authorisation route taken by the UK. The European Medicines Agency said - “EMA considers that the conditional marketing authorisation is the most appropriate regulatory mechanism for use in the current pandemic emergency."&nbsp;

It added that conditional authorisation leaves room for more evidence based roll out, and leaves space for more checks of the safety imbued in the vaccines, as opposed to the emergency process chosen by Britain.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-becomes-first-country-to-approve-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-for-general-use-346858" hreflang="en">UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use</a>

On Tuesday, the EMA had said that it will decide whether to authorise Pfizer’s vaccine or not by December 29 after taking into account safety and feasibility.

On Wednesday, Britain became the world’s first to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for COVID-19, which is set to be rolled out starting 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 British department of health said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/in-europe-before-the-end-of-2020-pfizer-biontech-files-for-eu-approval-of-coronavirus-vaccine-346707" hreflang="en">'In Europe before the end of 2020': Pfizer-BioNTech files for EU approval of coronavirus vaccine</a>

"The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week," the statement added.

People working in care home residents, along with health care workers and residents will be prioritised for the shot. Responding to the approval, Pfizer announced that Britain’s authorisation for emergency use is historic in the fight against coronavirus.

After the United Kingdom approved an emergency authorisation request for the general use of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the drug regulator of the European Union claimed that a longer process to ascertain the safety of vaccines is required.

After the United Kingdom approved an emergency authorisation request for the general use of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the drug regulator of the European Union claimed that a longer process to ascertain the safety of vaccines is required. It added that their approval process, which takes longer, is safer than the emergency use authorisation route taken by the UK. The European Medicines Agency said - “EMA considers that the conditional marketing authorisation is the most appropriate regulatory mechanism for use in the current pandemic emergency." It added that conditional authorisation leaves room for more evidence based roll out, and leaves space for more checks of the safety imbued in the vaccines, as opposed to the emergency process chosen by Britain. Also read: UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for general use On Tuesday, the EMA had said that it will decide whether to authorise Pfizer’s vaccine or not by December 29 after taking into account safety and feasibility. On Wednesday, Britain became the world’s first to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for COVID-19, which is set to be rolled out starting 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 British department of health said in a statement. Also read: 'In Europe before the end of 2020': Pfizer-BioNTech files for EU approval of coronavirus vaccine "The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week," the statement added. People working in care home residents, along with health care workers and residents will be prioritised for the shot. Responding to the approval, Pfizer announced that Britain’s authorisation for emergency use is historic in the fight against coronavirus.

After UK approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, EU warns against rushed authorisation

UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use, first in the world

United Kingdom has became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use and said that it will be made available across the Britain from early next week.

Breaking News: UK approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for mass rollout

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