A Covid-19 vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK, paving the way for rapid rollout.
The jab, which has been described as a "game changer", was given the green light by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The UK has ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine - enough to vaccinate 50 million people. The UK is the first country in the world to approve the vaccine, which comes as a new, more contagious variant of coronavirus spreads across the country.
AstraZeneca and other developers say they are studying the impact of the new variant but expect that their shots will be effective against it. Rollout of the vaccine will begin on January 4.
