London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

EU approves BioNTech-Pfizer COVID vaccine

EU approves BioNTech-Pfizer COVID vaccine

Approvals from regulators and the European Commission will let countries begin coronavirus vaccinations before the end of the year. EU nations are currently grappling with a worsening COVID second wave.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission approved the BioNTech-Pfizer coronavirus vaccine on Monday. It means the mass vaccination of some 450 million people across the EU is one step closer.

The EMA's positive assessment of the vaccine was widely expected. EU countries are currently grappling with a fierce second wave of the virus.

The Amsterdam-based drug regulator was under pressure from European countries, including Germany, to speed up its decision, which was originally scheduled for December 29.

"We granted conditional market authorization to the vaccine produced by BioNTech and Pfizer," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, just hours after the EMA recommendation to approve the vaccine. "I have always said during this pandemic that we are in this together."


Approval marks a 'historic scientific achievement'


The EMA recommendation applies to those 16 years of age and older, EMA head Emer Cooke said.

"It is a significant step forward in our fight against this pandemic, which is causing suffering and hardship for so many people, not just in Europe but all over the world," she said. "This is really a historic scientific achievement. Within less than a year, a vaccine will have been developed and authorized against a new disease."

Aside from age, limitations also apply to pregnant women. As only limited data is available for that group, it should be assessed on a case-by-case basis whether it would be safe to give a jab, said Harald Enzmann, Chair of EMA Human Medicines Committee.

"Today is a particularly personal and emotional day for us at BioNTech," said Ugur Sahin, the company's chief executive and co-founder. "Being in the heart of the EU, we are thrilled to be one step closer to potentially delivering the first vaccine in Europe to help combat this devastating pandemic."

What are the next steps?


German Health Minister Jens Spahn called the approval "a milestone in fighting the pandemic."

He said on Twitter that by the end of this year, a total of more than 1.3 million vaccine doses should be delivered to Germany's 16 states. The first to be vaccinated in a campaign starting December 27 will be those over 80 years of age, nursing home staff and residents, as well as health care workers at very high risk of infection.

Preparations for the vaccine rollout come as the identification of a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus in Britain caused chaos across the region, with countries shutting off travel ties with the UK and disrupting trade ahead of the Christmas holiday.

EMA officials told a news briefing that it was highly likely the vaccine would work against the new variant of the coronavirus.

"It is very likely that the vaccine will retain protection also against this new variant," said Marco Cavaleri, Head of Biological Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy for EMA.

While acknowledging that the agency did not yet have evidence with respect to the new strain, the vaccine generated antibodies that could neutralize different variants with mutations.

"For the time being, we are not too worried," he said.

The pharmaceutical companies will also need to submit follow-up data on their vaccine for the next year.

EMA said it had worked around the clock but needed to make sure the vaccine was safe and effective before giving its approval.

Which countries have approved the vaccine already?


Criticism of the EMA had grown after both UK and US regulators gave the vaccine the green light and began their vaccination drives in the past weeks. The US has now approved a second vaccine, manufactured by pharma firm Moderna.

The EMA has said it would speed up its authorization decision on Moderna's vaccine to January 6, six days sooner than planned.

What is the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine?


The vaccine is manufactured jointly by German firm BioNTech and American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer,

It has proven to be 95% effective against COVID-19 in global trials. It involves two doses that are injected three weeks apart.

Transporting can pose logistical challenges, as it must be stored at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 degrees Fahrenheit), a temperature much lower than standard freezers and which forced the company to develop special containers for transport.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×