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COVID-19

UK Approves Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine for Emergency Use, Rolling Out to Millions

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the United Kingdom announced the approval of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, a massive drive to vaccinate millions of people got underway. The vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on December 30, paving the way for a nationwide rollout starting January 4. Britain will be the first country to use the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, with a total of 530,000 doses available across the UK from January 4. Vulnerable groups have been identified as the priority for immunization.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was approved by the MHRA on December 30 for emergency use in the UK.
  • The vaccine is 70.4% effective on average, with up to 90% effectiveness when administered at a half dose followed by a full dose.
  • The vaccine is effective in preventing severe illness, but it is unclear if it reduces transmission.
  • The vaccine requires two doses, with an interval of 4-12 weeks between doses for people over 18.
  • Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers have been given the green light to take the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines following a review by the MHRA.
  • The vaccine can be administered to people with food or medicine allergies, but those with a known history of reacting to vaccine ingredients should proceed with caution.
  • An army of over 10,000 medics and volunteers has been recruited by the NHS to help deliver the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine.

Statistics:

  • 530,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will be available across the UK from January 4.
  • The vaccine is 70.4% effective on average, with up to 90% effectiveness when administered at a half dose followed by a full dose.
  • 100 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine have been secured by the UK Government, enough to vaccinate 50 million people.
  • Two million people are expected to receive their first dose of either the Oxford vaccine or the Pfizer jab within a fortnight as part of a major ramping up of the inoculation programme.
  • An army of over 10,000 medics and volunteers has been recruited by the NHS to help deliver the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine.

Sources:

  • BBC News: "Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine approved for emergency use in the UK"
  • The Lancet: "Efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine against Covid-19"
  • Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA): "MHRA approval for Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine"
  • The Guardian: "UK to start rollout of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine on January 4"
  • NHS: "Oxford Covid-19 vaccine rollout to start on January 4"

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