Pfizer Covid vaccine gets UK approval

The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has got the UK approval for widespread use.

The UK has already ordered 40m doses - enough to vaccinate 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.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted saying: "Help is on its way. The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week."

British regulator, the MHRA, says the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe for roll out next week.
Immunisations could start within days for people in high priority groups.

It is the fastest ever vaccine to go from concept to reality, taking only 10 months to follow the same developmental steps that normally span a decade.