UK - AstraZeneca's new corona vaccine approved - the world's first

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

英、アストラゼネカの新型コロナワクチン承認　世界初

2020.12.31 Thu posted at 10:06 JST

ロンドン（ＣＮＮ） 英政府は、英オックスフォード大学と英製薬大手アストラゼネカが共同開発した新型コロナウイルスワクチンの使用を承認した。同ワクチンの承認は世界初。他社のワクチンに比べて価格が安く輸送や配送が容易なことから、世界の流行収束に向けた道が開けるとの期待が高まっている。

英国では米ファイザーと独ビオンテックが共同開発したワクチンも承認され、既に接種が始まっている。オックスフォードとアストラゼネカのワクチンは来年１月４日から接種を開始予定。

英政府によると、いずれのワクチンもまずできるだけ多くの人に１回目の接種を受けてもらうことを優先させ、続いて３カ月以内に２回目の接種を受けさせる。

ハンコック英保健相は３０日、スカイニュースの取材に対し、「これでさらに多くの人が、より迅速に１回目の接種を受けることができ、１回目の接種でそうした人たちを守ることができる」と説明。これまでのデータを検証した結果、１回の接種でも「非常に効果的」と専門家は判断しているが、「長期的な保護のためには２回目の接種も重要だ」と強調した。

オックスフォードとアストラゼネカのワクチンは、他国での流通にも期待がかかる。アストラゼネカは低～中所得国にワクチンを大量供給すると表明、そうした国では利益を追求しない方針を明らかにしている。

このワクチンは、これまでに承認された他社のワクチンに比べて大幅に価格が安く、氷点下の温度で保存する必要もないことから途上国でも輸送や配送がしやすい。

Translation

London (CNN) -- The British government had approved the use of a new coronavirus vaccine that was jointly developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, a major British pharmaceutical company. The approval for this vaccine was the first in the world. With lower prices and easier transportation and delivery than other companies' vaccines, expectations were rising that it could pave the way for the end of the global epidemic.

In the UK earlier a vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer in the US and BioNTech in Germany was also being approved, and its vaccination had already begun. The Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccination was scheduled to begin on January 4th of next year.

According to the British government, all vaccines would be prioritized to get as many people as possible to have the first dose, followed by a second dose within three months.

British Health Minister Hancock told Sky News on the 30^th to explain that "This will allow more people to get their first vaccination more quickly, and protect them with this first vaccination”. He emphasized that after examining the data so far, experts had determined that even a single vaccination could be "very effective," and "a second vaccination is also important for long-term protection."

Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine was also expected to be distributed in other countries. AstraZeneca had stated that it could supply large quantities of vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, and had made clear that it would not pursue profits in those countries.

This vaccine was significantly cheaper than other companies' vaccines that had been approved so far, and it was easy to transport and deliver even in developing countries because it did not need to be stored at sub-zero temperature.

              So, another well tested vaccine is made available in the UK. Well done. It seems that Britain is more eager to use the new vaccine as early as possible than other major western countries, probably due to the wide spread pandemic in the country.