A Brazilian doctor voluntarily receives an injection as part of phase 3 studies of a vaccine developed by Oxford University and the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, in July 2020.
Nelson Almeida | AFP | Getty Images
LONDON – The coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca has been authorized for emergency use in the UK, marking another step in the global fight against the pandemic.
The shot is expected to be released next week and added to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has so far been administered to 600,000 people in the UK, according to government statistics.
In a statement, AstraZeneca said the first doses of the vaccine were released on Wednesday “so that vaccinations can begin at the beginning of the new year.”
He added that he “aims to deliver millions of doses in the first trimester” as part of his agreement with the British government to deliver up to 100 million doses in total.
British Government Minister Michael Gove had said on Monday that the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine could speed up the lifting of strict blockages in the country, which effectively canceled the Christmas festivities for millions.
Cases have increased in London and the south of England, with significant pressure on hospitals. It seems that a new variant of coronavirus found in the UK is more transmissible and has led to travel restrictions for people who want to leave the country.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine allows the United Kingdom to significantly intensify its inoculation program. It is also cheaper than others and should not be stored at ultra-low temperatures.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is a vector viral inoculation that is based on a weakened version of a common cold virus that causes infections in chimpanzees. It is designed to initiate the immune system to attack the coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, if it subsequently infects the body.
Dr. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, told CNBC in December that these benefits meant they could be used more effectively around the world.
“The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is now the vaccine that will be able to immunize the planet more effectively, faster than any other vaccine we have,” Horton said, adding that it is important to consider immunizing the vaccine globally. “Because even if we immunize a country, then the threat is that you reintroduce the virus from another country that is not protected.”
Confusion over the November trial data has led to some criticism of AstraZeneca. Initial figures suggest that the vaccine may help reduce the spread of Covid-19, as well as prevent disease and death. The study also found that it was 62% effective for study participants who received two full doses, but 90% for a subgroup given half a dose followed by a full dose.
White House Chief of Staff Warp Speed Moncef Slaoui and others in the United States expressed concern about the age group tested, saying that 90% effectiveness was shown only for the low-risk group, which numbered 2,741 of people under the age of 55.
– CNBC Sam Meredith contributed to this article.