UK regulators granted emergency use authorization for a coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech today. The vaccine was found to be 95% effective in late-stage clinical trials, and the companies expect to begin distributing doses in the coming days. The UK is the first Western nation to grant approval for a vaccine and the third nation to do so globally (joining Russia and China).
More context: Pfizer and BioNTech have also requested emergency approval from US and EU regulators and expect to receive decisions later this month.
Extra: Separately, a CDC advisory committee recommended that initial doses of a vaccine (once approved in the US) be distributed first to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities (e.g. nursing homes and assisted living).
