UK authorises the use of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

 The United Kingdom by giving approval to two vaccines will be able to vaccinate a greater number of people who are at higher risk of infection to protect them from the disease and to reduce fatality and severe cases. 

The UK Department of Health and Social Care has accepted the recommendation of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise the use of Oxoford/ AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. 

The approval gives a green light to the health officials in the nation to begin rolling out the Oxford Vaccine across the nation. It comes after rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA, which has concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will also be publishing its latest advice for the priority groups to receive this vaccine.

Key Highlights

•The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom has a clear vaccine delivery plan and decades of experience in delivering large scale vaccination programmes.

•It has already vaccinated hundreds of thousands of people with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue.

•The NHS will now begin putting their extensive preparations into action to roll out the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine.

•The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that priority should be to give as many people falling under the high-risk group as their first dose of the vaccine instead of providing two doses in the shortest time possible. 

•However, everyone will still be given their second dose within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for long-term protection.

Significance

The United Kingdom by giving approval to two vaccines will be able to vaccinate a greater number of people who are at higher risk of infection to protect them from the disease and to reduce fatality and severe cases. 

To further aid the success of its vaccination programme, the UK government has urged all the citizens to play their part and abide by restrictions in their area and allow NHR to do its work without being overwhelmed.