(CNN) -
The World Health Organization (WHO) approved the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine for emergency use, paving the way for low- and middle-income countries to start immunizing their populations against COVID-19.
The vaccine was first approved in the United Kingdom on December 8 for emergency use within the country, followed shortly after by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
All have started their own vaccination campaigns.
But the green light from the World Health Organization means that countries without their own regulatory bodies, or without the means to rigorously evaluate the efficacy and safety of vaccines, can speed up their own approval processes and begin implementing vaccination programs. .
LOOK: The new year brings the same problems with the delay in the distribution of vaccines
There have been concerns about the uneven distribution of vaccines, as wealthier countries have bought or signed contracts to buy large quantities of available doses or those awaiting approval.
In a statement Thursday, the WHO said organizations such as UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) could now purchase the vaccine for distribution to countries that need it.
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“This is a very positive step to ensure global access to vaccines against covid-19.
But I want to emphasize the need for a greater global effort to achieve sufficient vaccine supply to meet the needs of priority populations everywhere, ”said Dr. Mariângela Simão, WHO Deputy Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.
“WHO and our partners are working around the clock to evaluate other vaccines that have met standards for safety and efficacy.
We encourage more developers to come forward for review and evaluation.
It is vitally important that we secure the critical supply necessary to serve all countries around the world and stop the pandemic.
The WHO team and independent experts reviewed data on the safety, efficacy and quality of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine to perform a risk versus benefit analysis, according to the statement.
"The review found that the vaccine met essential criteria for safety and efficacy established by the WHO, and that the benefits of using the vaccine to address COVID-19 outweigh the potential risks," he said.
A group of WHO immunization experts will meet on January 5 to establish policies and recommendations for the use of the vaccine in populations.
It will also help them establish cold supply chains, as the vaccine must be stored at 60-90 degrees Celsius.
While the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine is the first to gain WHO approval, it is expected that cheaper and easier-to-distribute options will soon be available.
One such option is the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, which was approved by UK regulators on Wednesday.
The country will begin administering the vaccines on January 4.
AstraZeneca has promised to supply hundreds of millions of doses to low- and middle-income countries, and to deliver the vaccine nonprofit to those nations in perpetuity.
Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine
