UK First Western Country To Clear COVID Vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech Shot To Be Available Next Week

The United Kingdom (UK) has become the first western country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine will be available in Britain from next week, according to a statement from the UK government.

The UK’s regulator, Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s has cleared the shot ahead of decisions in the US and European Union, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.

Pfizer and its German partner said in November that the shot, relying on novel technology called messenger RNA, was 95% effective in a final analysis of clinical-trial data.

The UK had signaled it would move swiftly in approving a vaccine as part of an operation to protect its population, and doctors across the country were put on standby for a possible rollout, the report added.