EU authorises conditional Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine

BRUSSELS: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Monday recommended the conditional authorisation of the coronavirus vaccine jointly produced by BioNTech and Pfizer. This is the first vaccine the EMA has recommended for approval. Britain already authorised the jabs in early December. The recommendation applies for those of at least 16 years of age, EMA director Emer Cooke said. The European Commission still needs to formally approve the vaccine. “It’s a decisive moment in our efforts to deliver safe and effective vaccines to Europeans!” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter. — dpa