U.K. Approves AstraZeneca Vaccine

The British government says regulators have just approved the oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. This is the second vaccine authorized for use in the U.K. Officials say the approval follows rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts. It comes after the U.K. recorded over 53,000 coronavirus cases yesterday, breaking its daily record since the pandemic began for a second day in a row. This comes three weeks after the U.K. became the first nation to roll out the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is considered vital for vaccination efforts because it’s cheaper to make and easier to store for long periods of time as it only requires normal refrigeration temperature to remain viable. The British Health Secretary said the first doses would be administered January 4th.