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Coronavirus

03rd Dec 2020

Dr Anthony Fauci apologises after criticising the UK’s vaccine approval process

Dr Anthony Fauci has criticised the UK's process for approving the Covid-19 vaccine, claiming Britain was not as careful as it should have been

Alex Roberts

He said: “The UK did not do it as carefully”

Dr Anthony Fauci has apologised after making seemingly critical remarks regarding the UK’s process for approving the Covid-19 vaccine.

Fauci had claiming Britain was not as careful as it should have been, but then spoke to the BBC and said “I have a great deal of confidence in what the UK does, both scientifically and from a regulatory standpoint”.

The United States’ leading light in infectious disease, Dr Fauci today told Fox News: “The UK did not do it as carefully,” adding “If you go quickly and you do it superficially, people are not going to want to get vaccinated”.

On Wednesday, the UK became the first nation on Earth to formally approve the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer.

However, Dr Fauci thinks Britain has been hasty in its approval process.

In his interview with Fox News, Fauci said: “The way the (Food and Drug Administration) FDA is, our FDA is doing it, is the correct way.

“We really scrutinise the data very carefully to guarantee to the American public that this is a safe and efficacious vaccine.”

Britain “really rushed through that approval”, according to Dr Anthony Fauci. (Photo: Getty)

When interviewed by CBS a little later on Thursday, Dr Fauci reiterated his claim that the UK acted too quickly.

He said Britain “really rushed through that approval”.

Laughing to himself, Dr Fauci added: “They (the UK) kind of ran around the corner of the marathon and joined it in the last mile.”

Dr Fauci believes America will gain approval for the vaccine very soon, as the FDA continues its review and approval process.

The doc said he was planning on receiving his vaccination as soon as possible, and even offered to get it done live on TV.

Ex-presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have also offered to receive their vaccinations live on camera to help ease worries amongst the American public.

In the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock has offered to get his vaccine done live on camera alongside Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan.