Britain gets sixth COVID shot after French firm Valneva approval
April 14, 2022, 8:21 am

Britain gets sixth COVID shot after French firm Valneva approval

COVID vaccine-Covid-19 vaccination/Pixabay

The Euronews reported, citing Reuters, Britain approved on Thursday (Apr 14) French firm Valneva’s COVID-19 vaccine, bringing in a sixth coronavirus shot to the country.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, UK’s independent medicines regulator, said the watchdog was the first in the world to approve Valneva’s vaccine.

It added that the vaccine was also the first, whole-virus inactivated COVID-19 shot to get a regulatory nod in the country.

On Tuesday (Apr 12), the UK health ministry said that the country will expand access to Pfizer’s oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment to thousands more people by adding it to a trial to assess how best to use the drug in its highly vaccinated population.

Britain approved on Thursday (Apr 14) French firm Valneva’s COVID-19 vaccine, bringing in a sixth coronavirus shot to the country (File photo: Pixabay)

Health minister Sajid Javid said in a statement: “As we learn to live with COVID, the UK continues to lead the way in using cutting-edge treatments which have already saved the lives of many of the country’s most vulnerable patients."

Covid-19 infections in the UK may be beginning to level off, the latest weekly Office for National Statistics figures suggest, the BBC reported.

According to the BBC, more than 170,000 people have died in the UK since the outbreak of the virus.

Britain widens access to Pfizer’s oral antiviral COVID treatment through trial

It said that Covid vaccination programme has so far reached nine in 10 people aged 12 and over with a first dose.

levantnews, agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”