Brexit is not related to speed of Covid-19 vaccine delivery in UK, says health expert

A British Cabinet Minister last week claimed the UK approved the vaccine quicker because it had the best scientists

Britain was the first to approve the delivery of a Covid-19 vaccine. It began the immunisation programme today. Picture: PA

Public health expert Professor Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has said that the speed of the roll out of the UK vaccine programme had nothing to do with Brexit.

The UK had opted to allow the vaccine to be delivered in “highly controlled circumstances” even though the vaccine had not yet been licensed in the UK which was still technically in the EU and under the auspices of the European Medicine Agency (EMA), he told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.