The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech appears to protect 94% of adults over 65 years old and also the overall effectiveness of the vaccine has been raised from the 90% that was reported just over a week ago, to 95%.
Pfizer and BioNTech will now submit the vaccine to the US regulator for emergency use approval over the coming days before they share it with the rest of the world.
Pfizer chairman and chief executive Dr Albert Bourla said: “The study results mark an important step in this historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine capable of helping to end this devastating pandemic.
“We continue to move at the speed of science to compile all the data collected thus far and share with regulators around the world.”
NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis has told a COVID-19 briefing today that the NHS is ‘working hard’ to be ready to ‘deploy the different vaccines’ once they are approved.
