The United Kingdom has become the first western country to formally authorize the novel coronavirus vaccine. It was announced by the premier of the country Boris Johnson yesterday in a media briefing outside 10 Downing Street.

The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine has been authorized for emergency use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in the UK. PM Johnson told the media that mass immunizations will be available from next week. He said:

We've been waiting and hoping for the day when the searchlights of science would pick out our invisible enemy and give us the power to stop that enemy from making us ill. And now the scientists have done it, and they have used the virus itself to perform a kind of biological jiu-jitsu, to turn the virus on itself in the form of a vaccine.

Speaking of the logistical challenges in providing millions of citizens with the jab, he said:

Due to the immense logistical challenges, it'll inevitably take some months before all the most vulnerable are protected.

He pleaded the public to not get carried away with the scientific development and emphasized the significance of sticking to COVID-19 rules/SOPs as long winter lies ahead.

Johnson also tweeted this regarding the good news:

It’s fantastic that MHRA has formally authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week. It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again.