UK's Johnson hails "fantastic" news of vaccine authorisation

LONDON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "fantastic" that the country's medicines regulator had formally authorised the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use, a move that he said would get the economy moving again.

"It's fantastic that the MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19," he said on Twitter. "The vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week.

"It's the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again."

England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said it would take until spring to fully vaccinate the vulnerable population who wish to receive the jab.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton, editing by Estelle Shirbon)