London, August 28

Britain is preparing to revise its laws to allow the emergency use of any effective Covid vaccine before it is fully licensed — but only if the shots meet required safety and quality standards.

In a statement on Friday, PM Boris Johnson’s Conservative government said it was adopting “reinforced safeguards” to allow the country’s medicines regulatory agency to grant temporary authorisation of a Covid-19 vaccine, provided it meets safety and quality standards.

The proposed regulations would allow coronavirus vaccines to receive an emergency approval allowing people to be immunised while the full licensing process is being finished. — AP