On December 30, 2020, United Kingdom Oxford University/AstraZeneca became the first country in the world to approve the COVID-19 vaccine.
on the United Kingdom December 30, marking the one year anniversary of the approval of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine Manufactured and administered in India as Covishield as part of tie-up with Serum Institute of India (SII), to protect against COVID-19.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson credited the vaccine developed by scientists at Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca for helping the world tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and saving millions of lives.
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“Our fight against COVID in the UK and around the world would not have been possible without the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine,” Mr Johnson said.
“Developed by brilliant scientists in Oxford and distributed on a non-profit basis for AstraZeneca, this vaccine has provided 50 million doses to the British public and over 2.5 billion doses to more than 170 other countries. We are all incredibly at it. Can be proud of – and be grateful for – a jab that has saved many millions of lives,” he said.
On December 30, 2020, UK Oxford University/AstraZeneca became the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, more than a million vaccines have been administered in the country and around the world as part of manufacturing partnerships, such as with the Adar Poonawalla-led SII in Pune.
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“Today marks a year since the UK made history by becoming the first country in the world to approve the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – a UK-manufactured and government-funded vaccine that has helped save millions of lives around the world. This is absolutely critical, said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
“I am extremely proud of the role the UK has played in developing, researching and manufacturing critical vaccines and treatments during the pandemic,” he said.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) highlights early investments in the Oxford University team since 2016 and their COVID-19 vaccines from March 2020, paving the way for approval by the independent Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) . The process was driven by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which helped recruit thousands of volunteers from across the UK for the Phase III trial and supported the researchers.
UK Vaccines Minister Maggie Throop said: “This is a remarkable example of British innovation and scientific excellence – please take advantage and get your vaccines as soon as possible to protect yourself this winter.”
Around 2.5 billion doses were distributed around the world at a cost, following the UK government’s investment of more than £88 million to help research, develop and manufacture the vaccine.
The DHSC said about two-thirds of these have gone to low- and lower-middle income countries, including the World Health Organization’s COVAX initiative or bilaterally with more than 30 million doses donated by the UK. The UK has announced that it will donate 20 million Oxford/AstraZeneca doses to countries in need next year, as part of the government’s commitment to donate 100 million doses in total.
AstraZeneca UK President Tom Keith-Roach said: “I am silently humbled and applauded for the work we have done to get 50 million doses into the arms of the people in the UK and over 2.5 billion doses to people in over 170 countries. But I am very proud. Globally in less than 12 months.
“There are big challenges ahead, a lot of important work is yet to be done, but in 2021 we achieved remarkable things and this should give us confidence and new hope for 2022.” The COVID-19 vaccination programme, dubbed the largest in British history, has been set up at an “unprecedented speed”, with thousands of vaccine centers rapidly being set up. DHSC used the anniversary to mark the UK-wide role in vaccine research, which provided results for three successful COVID vaccine candidates through massive Phase 3 trials for the Oxford/AstraZeneca, Janssen and Novavax vaccines.
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