Coronavirus

U.K. Authorizes Emergency Use Of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Britain says it has ordered enough doses of the U.S.-German vaccine to fully vaccinate 20 million people.

U.K. Authorizes Emergency Use Of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Bebeto Matthews / AP
SMS

The U.K. will allow emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. 

The announcement makes Britain the first Western country to greenlight a vaccine. 

The U.K. says it's already ordered enough doses to fully vaccinate 20 million people. 

Pfizer said last month that its vaccine candidate is up to 95% effective. 

U.S. health authorities are also reviewing the vaccine, but have not granted approval yet.