How U.K. and Israel Raced to Global Lead in Covid Vaccinations
Bloomberg 2/25/2021 Eric Pfanner
(Bloomberg) The U.K. and Israel have raced ahead of most of the rest of the world in Covid-19 vaccinations, speeding shots to millions of people.
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Although new variants of the coronavirus are raising concern, the crash immunization programs show signs of working. Case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are falling in both countries, allowing their governments to set out plans for reopening.
Bloomberg News spoke with Kate Bingham, former head of the U.K.’s Vaccine Taskforce, and Ran Balicer, chair of the Covid advisory committee at Israel’s Ministry of Health, about how these countries were able to move so quickly and what the world can do to prepare for future pandemic challenges. Their comments have been edited for clarity.
AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid Vaccine Gains First Clearance With U.K. Nod Bloomberg 12/30/2020 Suzi Ring
(Bloomberg) AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccine won U.K. clearance, marking the first approval worldwide for a shot that will be key to mass immunizations despite continuing questions over its efficacy.
The vaccine will be prioritized for the country’s most vulnerable groups, with shots starting Monday, according to the government. It’s the second coronavirus injection to be cleared for emergency use in the U.K., after one from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE was authorized in early December.
The move will help the U.K. ramp up vaccinations as a surge in coronavirus infections that’s fueled by a new strain puts growing pressure on hospitals. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told members of Parliament that the approval offers “hope to millions in this country and around the world.”