Britain expects to have 10 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s candidate Covid-19 vaccine obtainable by the tip of the yr if regulators approve it, Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s spokesman mentioned on Monday, following constructive medical trial outcomes.
The spokesman mentioned that Britain had now ordered 40 million doses of the candidate
vaccine developed by
Pfizer and
BioNTech, one in all six that the federal government has agreed provide offers for.
Pfizer Inc mentioned on Monday its experimental
Covid-19
vaccine was greater than 90% efficient, a significant victory within the combat in opposition to a pandemic that has killed greater than 1,000,000 folks, battered the world’s financial system and upended each day life.
“In complete we have now procured 40 million doses of the
Pfizer candidate
vaccine with 10 million of these doses being manufactured and obtainable to the UK by the tip of the yr if the
vaccine is permitted by the regulators,” the spokesman mentioned.
Johnson has positioned England below a second nationwide lockdown to comprise a brand new wave of
Covid-19 infections, however he has mentioned that the prospects of a
vaccine are one trigger for optimism that the scenario will enhance by spring.
“The outcomes are promising and whereas we’re optimistic of a breakthrough we should keep in mind there are not any ensures. We’ll know whether or not the
vaccine is each secure and efficient as soon as the security information has been revealed and solely then can licensing authorities think about making it obtainable to the general public,” the spokesman mentioned.
“Within the meantime the NHS (Nationwide Well being Service) stands prepared to start the vaccination programme for these most in danger as soon as a
Covid-19
vaccine is accessible, earlier than being rolled out extra extensively.”