By New Covid vaccine approved for use in the UK
A new covid vaccine has been given the green light for use in the UK.
The Valneva vaccine was originally supposed to be used in the UK last September but the deal was cancelled by the government after a ‘breach in obligations’.
The vaccine uses the more traditional technique of using a whole copy of the virus that is inactive, teaching the body to fight the disease without the recipient getting ill.
100 million doses were ordered in September from the French company, which denied the government’s accusations.
As with the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, it is designed to be given in two doses.
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, from the Commission on Human Medicines – which led the review – said: “We have advised that the benefit-risk balance is positive. The vaccine is approved for use in people aged 18 to 50 years, with the first and second doses to be taken at least 28 days apart.”
Blood trials showed that volunteers had high levels of antibodies against the virus.
According to experts, this vaccine could be more effective against future strains as it uses the whole virus rather than just a silk protein like its predecessors Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
