The U.K.’s approval doesn’t automatically make the vaccines available elsewhere. Pfizer’s shot needs to contend with a maze of regulations and data submissions in every country. Many endorsements are contingent on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration giving the vaccine the go-ahead, which is expected as early as Dec. 10.
The quick approval of Pfizer Inc.’s coronavirus vaccine in the UK isn’t likely to accelerate the availability of the shot in Asia, as countries work to complete local safety tests and negotiate deals.
Asia’s biggest economies including China and Japan still need to finish domestic clinical trials to demonstrate the Pfizer shot is safe, and even then, most countries have set deliveries for next year. In addition, some developing nations in Asia with the biggest outbreaks don’t have deals with Pfizer, and lack the means to distribute and store the vaccine, which needs to be kept at a deep freeze.
