LONDON: The UK has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use.

According to British regulator, the MHRA, the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe for rollout next week, BBC said.

Immunizations will start within a few days, it said.

The United Kingdom has already ordered 40m doses – enough to vaccinate 20m people, BBC reported.

According to the report, around 10m doses will be available soon, with the first 800,000 arriving in the UK, it said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has tweeted saying: “Help is on its way”, saying people will be contacted by the NHS when it is their turn for the jab.

As many as 50 hospitals are already on standby and vaccination centers are being set up now.

(With inputs from BBC)