Britain is set to approve a COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer next week and deliveries would begin within hours of the authorisation, the Financial Times reports.
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The first immunisations using the BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine could take place from December 7, the FT said, citing unnamed sources.
Earlier on Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named Nadhim Zahawi, currently a junior business minister, as the minister responsible for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines.
Britain said on November 20 it had formally asked its medical regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, to assess the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for its suitability, the first step in making it available outside the US.
Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine, which has been found to be 95 per cent effective in preventing the spread of a virus.
The government asked the regulator on Friday to assess AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for a possible rollout.
It has secured 100 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and has targeted a rollout to begin before Christmas.
Australian Associated Press
