UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

The Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has got a green signal for use in the United Kingdom. The government gave the nod on Wednesday after it was recommended for approval by the country’s health regulator.

The country’s health ministry has formally announced that the UK government has accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise the Oxford University- Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine for use.

This new development is considered as an important move in the battle against the pandemic and will lead to a massive expansion in Britain’s immunisation programme. Also, the approval of this Covid-19 vaccine is crucial as it faces threat from a new ‘most infectious’ strain.

“The government has today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for use,” the health ministry said.

BBC reports that UK has ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine which will be used to vaccinate at least 50 million people.

The development is also a turning point in India’s fight against Covid-19 as the country has pinned its hope largely on this vaccine. Serum Institute of India is manufacturing Oxford vaccine in India.