UK approves AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine

Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University as it battles a winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus.

The British government said it had accepted a recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to grant emergency authorisation. In the European Union, meanwhile, the European Medicines Authority (EMA) said it requires additional data before it can approve the vaccine.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) SPOKESMAN TARIK JASAREVIC

"We welcome this news because of the delivery attributes, the potential scale and affordability."

JENS SPAHN, GERMAN HEALTH MINISTER

"We can expect another approval, next week, for the vaccine from Moderna. And with the approval today in the United Kingdom for Astrazeneca, I would also expect that a corresponding application will be examined thoroughly and quickly by the authorities in the European Union.

"Vaccination is the key to getting out of this pandemic. Preventing death and suffering is key. It is the key to getting our normal lives back."

STEPHEN EVANS, PROFESSOR OF PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY, LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE

"Authorisation of this vaccine, with usual cold-chain requirements, will mean that a global approach to the global pandemic becomes easier.

"The separate decision by the UK body responsible for setting policy in its use, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), to allow both the currently UK authorised vaccines to be given with a greater delay between doses to maximise the numbers getting one dose as rapidly as possible is a sensible one.

"This will not bring a rapid return to life as it was before COVID-19, but is a very major step on the way."

IAN JONES, PROFESSOR OF VIROLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF READING

"A level of immunity sufficient to prevent severe disease can be generated after only one inoculation of this vaccine, so the revised JCVI advice to prioritise giving those at risk their first dose is a sensible idea. It will allow more people in this group to treated with initial supplies, reduce the threat of hospitalisation from COVID-19 and accelerate the return to normality."

HELEN FLETCHER, PROFESSOR OF IMMUNOLOGY, LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE

"Approval of this vaccine is a turning point for the pandemic ... with more than 30 supply agreements and partner networks established globally, the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine could slow the pandemic and should save many lives within the next year."

PROFESSOR ROBERT READ, HEAD OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE WITHIN MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

"This is a tremendous day for all of us ... The impact will take a few weeks to be seen but I am certain it will be significant.

"JCVI has advised that whilst we should be prepared to give people the second dose, it is acceptable to give that within 12 weeks of the first dose. This allows some much needed flexibility in a programme as big as this."

LUCIO ROVATI, CEO OF ITALY'S ROTTAPHARM BIOTECH, WHICH IS WORKING WITH TAKIS BIOTECH ON A COVID-19 VACCINE

"It is good that the approvals are coming quickly. On this one, I would have recommended an extra moment of reflection, at least on the basis of publicly available scientific information. I believe that this will be EMA's position."

ANTONELLA VIOLA, PROFESSOR OF IMMUNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF PADUA

"It is a bad message that disorients citizens ... the EMA declared the data insufficient and MHRA granted approval. While there is no doubt about the safety of the vaccine, the efficacy is unclear and too many errors and announcements have complicated the interpretation of the data."

DANNY ALTMANN, PROFESSOR OF IMMUNOLOGY, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

"Scientists don't use terms like 'game-changer' lightly, but that's what this is. Currently, the virus is once again proving that it can devastate by outrunning even our most draconian efforts to break transmission by limiting contact.

"To get out of this debacle there is no alternative to having a significant majority of the population carrying a high level of neutralising antibodies. With today's announcement, that comes within our grasp.

"I await the modelling, but I suspect this will speed things by several months. An immune population by the spring starts to look feasible."

MATT HANCOCK, UK SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

"This is a moment to celebrate British innovation - not only are we responsible for discovering the first treatment to reduce mortality for COVID-19, this vaccine will be made available to some of the poorest regions of the world at a low cost, helping protect countless people from this awful disease.

"It is a tribute to the incredible UK scientists at Oxford University and AstraZeneca, whose breakthrough will help to save lives around the world. I want to thank every single person who has been part of this British success story.

"While it is a time to be hopeful, it is so vital everyone continues to play their part to drive down infections."