New Covid-19 vaccine wins regulatory approval in UK

A new Covid-19 vaccine has been approved by the UK’s medicines watchdog, making it the fifth jab to be authorised for use in the country.The Nuvaxovid vaccine, developed by US biotech firm Novavax, will add another string to the UK’s vaccine bow, with 71 per cent of the population having received at least two doses so far, according to Our World in Data. While it has secured the approval of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), it is now up to the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination (JCIV) to consider it as part of the UK’s vaccination programme, health secretary Sajid Javid explained. The new vaccine uses the same protein-based technology which has been used to develop vaccines for other illnesses such as Hepatitis B.