NHS ready to start vaccinating ‘early next week’ as Pfizer vaccine approved in UK

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use and a mass vaccination programme is set to begin ‘early next week’, making the UK the first western country to license a vaccine against Covid-19.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK, with the first doses arriving in the coming days. 

The company reported that the vaccine had 94.5% efficacy in clinical trials. 

Health secretary, Matt Hancock has now tweeted that the NHS stands ‘ready to start vaccinating early next week’. 

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “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.

“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 (JCVI) 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.

“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.”

Hancock confirmed the first doses will be issued to the most vulnerable people and the UK will have 800,000 doses from next week.

He told Sky News: “This is fantastic news. The MHRA, the fiercely independent regulator, has clinically authorised the vaccine for rollout. The NHS stands ready to make that happen.

“From early next week we will start the programme of vaccinating people against Covid-19 here in this country. The MHRA have approved it as clinically safe and we have a vaccine, so it’s very good news.”

He added that rolling the vaccine out across the UK has its challenges as the vaccine needs to be kept at -70C. 50 hospitals are ready to deliver the jabs and specialist vaccination centres are being built, he added. 

In terms of who will be getting the vaccine first, Hancock said old people and those in care homes including staff will be first in line. After that, it ‘essentially comes down the age range, NHS staff are also high on that priority list and also the clinically extremely vulnerable’.

He added: “The goal will be to vaccinate through the NHS right across the UK as rapidly as the company can manufacture. It will help save lives. Once we’ve protected the most vulnerable it will help us all get back to normal and back to some of the things that we love.”

Speaking to BBC News, Hancock indicated that by Easter next year the country could return to some normality and that no restrictions would be needed in summer 2021.

He said: “So many families have suffered, including my own. I’m just so, so pleased … 2020 has been just awful and 2021 is going to be better. Help is on its way. Help is on its way with this vaccine – and we can now say that with certainty rather than with all the caveats that normally have to put around that.

“I’m confident now, with the news today, that from spring – from Easter onwards – things are going to be better. We’re going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy. Between now and then we’ve got to hold our resolve.”

Albert Bourla, the chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer added: “Today’s emergency use authorisation in the UK 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 UK.”

Delivery of the UK’s 40 million doses is expected to start immediately and will continue throughout 2020 and 2021 in stages.

“The emergency use authorisation in the UK will mark the first time citizens outside of the trials will have the opportunity to be immunised against Covid-19,” said Ugur Sahin, the CEO and co-founder of BioNTech.

“We believe that the rollout of the vaccination programme in the UK will reduce the number of people in the high-risk population being hospitalised. Our aim is to bring a safe and effective vaccine upon approval to the people who need it.

“The data submitted to regulatory agencies around the world are the result of a scientifically rigorous and highly ethical research and development programme.”