The AstraZeneca (AZN) shares are up today with investors bearing the sentiment that the stock will witness an improved performance thanks to the obvious advantages the Oxford-AZN vaccine has over its rivals.
AstraZeneca Plc (LON: AZN) stock is up 2.80% today following the start of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the duo of Oxford University researchers and AstraZeneca. As reported by CNBC, the rollout of the vaccine came following its approval last week by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). With this, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) is now the first agency in the world to roll out the vaccine.
According to the NHS, 82-year-old Brian Pinker was the first person in the world to receive the jab this morning Monday, January 4th, 2020. From the initial deal the UK has with AstraZeneca, a total of 100 million doses is available to inoculate 50 million people as the vaccine will be administered in two doses.
The UK has a population of about 66 million people and In a statement Monday, the UK government said that more than half a million doses are now available “with tens of millions more to be delivered in the coming weeks and months once batches have been quality checked by the MHRA.”
The AZN shares are up in response to this news with a growth of 2.80% today to 7,529 GBX per share.
AZN Stock to Benefit from AstraZeneca’s Vaccine Superiority
The AstraZeneca (AZN) stocks are up today with investors bearing the sentiment that the stock will witness an improved performance in the coming days with respect to the obvious advantages the Oxford-AZN vaccine has over that of Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) and that from Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE), and BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX).
The AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored, transported, and handled at normal refrigerated conditions (2 to 8 degrees Celsius or 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months, and it is relatively cheaper in comparison to the vaccine from its listed top competitors.
The United Kingdom was also the first nation that began administering the Pfizer vaccine, with over one million people vaccinated already and the government noted that about 730 vaccination centers have been established with more centers to be created to bolster the inoculation program.
Per the CNBC report, the AstraZeneca Vaccine just like that of Pfizer will be administered to priority groups first including care home residents and staff, people aged over 80 and health and care workers, then to the rest of the population in the order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
The End for COVID-19 in Sight?
The United Kingdom ranks as one of the worst-hit nations with the COVID-19 pandemic with a recorded 2.6 million cases and as much as 75,000 deaths according to Johns Hopkins University data. The UK is also seeing a remarkable surge in new cases fueled by a new variant of the COVID-19.
Despite this harsh reality, the rollout of the vaccines shows that the end is arguably nearer for the COVID-19 pandemic that has lasted well over a year.
Benjamin Godfrey is a blockchain enthusiast and journalists who relish writing about the real life applications of blockchain technology and innovations to drive general acceptance and worldwide integration of the emerging technology. His desires to educate people about cryptocurrencies inspires his contributions to renowned blockchain based media and sites. Benjamin Godfrey is a lover of sports and agriculture.
