President-elect Joe Biden called the FDA experts' decision on Thursday a "bright light in a needlessly dark time," with official approval expected within days. And while Russia and China have already begun inoculation efforts with domestically produced vaccines, EU countries are eagerly awaiting clearance. A new combined approach is also being tested by AstraZeneca, whose Russian branch said it would mix its shot with the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine in clinical trials. Vaccine rolloutsOnce it secures official approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US hopes to start vaccinating 20 million people this month. Israel, who accepted its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday, is targeting a rollout on December 27.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 11, 2020 14:14 UTC