Pfizer Covid vaccine FAQs: Where is it made, how many doses you need and side effects

2 December 2020, 13:51 | Updated: 7 June 2023, 08:56

The latest updates and developments in the coronavirus vaccine has revealed the UK will get the first doses this month - but what is the Pfizer Covid vaccine? Here’s all the frequently asked questions.

Pfizer and BioNTech will be rolling out their Covid-19 vaccination in the UK as early as December 2020 and the public have plenty of questions about the immunisation.

One of the first of its kind, the Pfizer vaccine, which uses RNA technology, has been developed in under a year and with that, the UK has grown interested over the ingredients, where the vaccine is made and how many doses you need for it to be effective.

Coronavirus: Who will get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine first in the UK?

Also, side effects and whether it’s safe in pregnancy are also big questions when it comes to the new coronavirus vaccine. Here’s the latest updates and advice:

Where is Pfizer and BioNTech based?

Pfizer and BioNTech, one of the first to develop a successful Covid vaccine, are not a British company. The pharmaceutical company Pfizer is based in America and BioNTech is a German biotechnology company.

How effective is the Pfizer Covid vaccine?

Judged as safe to use in the UK from the second week of December, the latest facts and figures state the vaccine offers up to 95% protection against coronavirus.

How many doses do you need of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccination?

You will need two doses of the jab for it to be as effective as promised. The two injections will happen 21 days apart with the second vaccination acting as a booster.

What are the Pfizer Covid vaccine side effects?

Based on trials, side effects reported so far are very mild and similar to those of any other type of vaccine.

Is the Covid vaccine safe for pregnancy?

Any vaccine that gets approval has to be certified safe by a number of regulators meaning, should any of the treatments be approved, there will be no major side effects to worry about.

However, despite those guarantees, it's likely pregnant people will be advised against the Pfizer Covid vaccine. At present, nothing has been said in England or Wales but Scotland have issued a statement.

Scotland's Chief Medical Officer has said: "People who are pregnant, or are imminently planning to become pregnant, are being advised against getting the Pfizer Covid vaccine, because of a lack of data around its effects on pregnancy."