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UK gears up for huge vaccination plan watched by the world

Virus Outbreak Britain
Posted at 3:31 PM, Dec 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-06 15:31:51-05

LONDON (AP) — Shipments of the coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech have been delivered in the U.K. in super-cold containers.

The deliveries arrived Sunday, two days before it goes public in an immunization program that is being closely watched around the world. Tuesday will be the start of Britain's biggest-ever immunization program.

Around 800,000 doses of the vaccine are set to be ready. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly dubbed Tuesday “V-Day,” a nod to triumphs in World War II.

Last week, the U.K. became the first country to authorize the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for emergency use.

In trials, the vaccine was shown it has 95% efficacy.