THE Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is set to be rolled out from next week after being approved for use in the UK.

The vaccine has been shown in studies to be 95 per cent effective and works in all age groups. The UK is the first country in the world to approve it for widespread use.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.

“This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will shortly also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive the vaccine, including care home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.”

Around 10m doses should be available soon, with the first 800,000 arriving in the coming days.

Health workers and card home residents and staff will first in line to receive it.