The European Union has announced its intent to buy 300 million doses of the new coronavirus vaccine trialled by Pfizer and BioNTech in an attempt to begin a widespread inoculation process against the virus.
Vaccine
Recent trials have shown the vaccine to be 90% effective in those suffering from symptoms of coronavirus, offering the potential for a bright future in what has otherwise been a dark year for the world.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said they would be authorising the deal on Wednesday after "working tirelessly to secure doses of potential vaccines," she said in a statement.
The EU has reportedly signed deals with three other pharmaceutical giants, leading to a potential one billion doses for its 27 member states.
Pfizer has announced that deliveries are due to commence at the end of the year subject to the vaccine being certified by the European Medicines Agency.
Albert Bourla, the chief executive of Pfizer announced in a statement: “Today’s finalised supply agreement with the European Commission represents the largest initial order of vaccine doses for Pfizer and BioNTech to date and a major step toward our shared goal of making a Covid-19 vaccine available to vulnerable populations."
The vaccines are to be developed in Belgium and Germany and member states that opted into the deal will need to place orders separately.
Back in July, the UK announced its intention to secure 90m doses among a list of then-promising vaccine candidates.
This number was significantly reduced months later, as it was revealed the British government had no intention of performing mass inoculation.
Other pharmaceutical companies that have been working on vaccines include British firm AstraZeneca, who have working in tandem with the University of Cambridge to create a vaccine primarily for the UK.
They hoped to have a vaccine "by the end of the year" but these predictions may have fallen short.
Other vaccines across the world are awaiting final testing before their efficacy can be revealed.
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