London: The head of U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Wednesday said a "rolling review" had been used in the swift approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, because "time is of the essence".
However, Dr June Raine also stressed that the quick approval of the vaccine "doesn't mean that any corners have been cut".
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Dr Raine made the comments in a news conference following the announcement that the government had approved emergency use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with the U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirming on Wednesday morning that immunizations would begin as early as next Monday.
"Most side effects are very mild and usually last for a day or so", Prof. Sir Munir Pirmohamed said.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation chairman Professor Wei Shen Lim said that in phase one of the vaccination rollout in the U.K., he hoped that "90 to 99 per cent of people who are at risk of dying from COVID-19 will be covered".
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He also advised that "local NHS providers, local public health teams and local leaders work together" to help address community needs and address any inequalities that might occur "concerning ethnicity deprivation or access to health care" during the rollout.
"Overall, we have good news today, we have a vaccine that is acceptably safe and effective. Good vaccine uptake will save lives", he said.
AP
