● Today, the Government authorises the first COVID-19 vaccine on independent advice of the medicines regulator. The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.
● The UK has bought 40m doses of the vaccine, which has been shown to have 95% efficacy in its final trials.
● The trial data showed the vaccine had equal efficacy among younger volunteers and those over 65 who are most at risk from Covid.
Gareth Davies MP welcomes the news that the government has today accepted the recommendation from the MHRA to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use. The vaccine is to be made available across the UK from next week.
This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation will shortly also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive the vaccine, including care home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and the clinically extremely vulnerable.
Commenting, Gareth Davies MP said:
“Throughout the epidemic we have had to take precautions to limit the spread of the virus and save lives. I am delighted that with the vaccine passing the most stringent testing, our hard work is paying off. We can now begin to look to brighter days ahead and critically, get our local economy going.
That we achieved this research and testing within months is testament to Britain’s ingenuity, innovation and determination. This puts our country on the map as the first country in the world to approve an effective vaccine for use and that is something we should all be very proud of.”
