Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine Update: UK Approves Vaccine For Use Next Week

The vaccination has become the fastest one to move from concept to reality, and taken taken only 10 months to follow the developmental steps that normally span a decade.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 17, 2020 (FILES) This file photo illustration picture shows vials with Covid-19 Vaccine stickers attached, with the logo of US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, on November 17, 2020. - Britain on December 2, 2020 became the first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for general use and said it would be introduced next week. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

Covid Pfizer vaccine: It seems the wait for Coronavirus vaccine has finally come to an end! In a first, the UK has approved the Pfizer's BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use. As per the report in BBC, the British regulator, MHRA, has informed that the vaccine which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe for roll out. It has also hinted that immunisations could start within days for people in high priority groups. What's the update? "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," the government said. The UK has already ordered 40m doses which will be used to vaccinate around 20m people, with two shots each.  Around 10m doses should be available soon, with the first doses arriving in the UK in the coming days. With this vaccination, it has become the fastest one to move from concept to reality. It has taken only 10 months to follow the same developmental steps that normally span a decade. What type of vaccine is it? The coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer is a new type called an mRNA vaccine. It uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to help the body fight Covid-19 and build immunity. The joint vaccine, produced by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech, had recently claimed trials suggested it works well in people of all ages, races and ethnicities. The vaccine based on a novel technology needs to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 F) or below. An mRNA vaccine has never been approved for use in humans before, although people have received them in clinical trials. The UK government had asked the MHRA to look into the data to clear it for use if it meets "robust" standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness. What are the chances of vaccine being available in India? The requirement of a super-cold storage requirement might make it difficult for the vaccine to be available in most hospitals even in big cities. As per the report in India Today, the tight resources, rural areas in India and many poorer countries may find it difficult to procure the Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for distribution. Also, many hospitals in big cities do not have the facilities to store vaccines at minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 F) or below.Hence, as per the report it seems unlikely that the vaccine will be made available in every corner of India and likely to be highly expensive Even though the vaccination will be rolled out to masses but people have to remain cautious and follow coronavirus protocol to contain the spread. You have to continue following the social distancing norms and wear face masks including testing for the virus and isolating peope with the symptoms.