COVID-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca submit vaccine data in UK for approval

University of Oxford and drug manufacturer AstraZeneca on December 23 submitted its full data package to the MHRA for its COVID-19 vaccines approval developed in the UK, Health Minister Matt Hancock announced at a press conference at Downing Street. "I'm delighted to be able to tell you that the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine developed here in the UK has submitted its full data package to the MHRA for approval," he said. Calling the vaccine as ‘hope’ after two new variants of coronavirus were detected across England, Hancock said, "This is the next step towards a decision on the deployment of the vaccine,” adding that the UK government had started a vaccination campaign in care homes. “People who live in care homes are amongst those most vulnerable to this disease,” the UK health secretary said. 

Earlier, in its interim Phase III trial results, AstraZeneca announced that its COVID-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with Oxford University gave back 70 percent efficacy. The vaccines have been anticipated by health officials worldwide due to its low cost, availability, and ease of use. The firm published the results from tests of the vaccine in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa citing the immune response in at least 23,745 participants and protection levels on 11,636. 

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62 percent protection in full doses

AstraZeneca said in a release that its mRNA vaccine-induced protection in 62 percent of those given two full doses and in 90 percent in those initially given the half dose. However, its half-dose group didn’t include the age group above 55. “We have no safety concerns about the vaccine, no hospitalizations or severe disease among those who received it, and results from all study locations consistently showing benefit”, AP quoted a study leader at Oxford, Andrew Pollard as saying. Meanwhile, a British scientist at AstraZeneca Mene Pangalos said that the results were ‘very compelling’. “It clearly shows we have an effective vaccine,” he said. 

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