A michael joins us we start with some breaking news regulators have approved astra zeneca is corona virus vaccine for use in the European Union the European Medicines Agency gave the go ahead to begin an ocular nations in people aged 18 and over the e. U. Is facing a storm of criticism for its sluggish vaccine rollout the European Commission is expected to grant final approval for the vaccine shortly this is the 3rd vaccine to get approval from the e. U. Following shots from buying tech pfizer and madonna the executive director explained why the body gave astra zeneca the green light. The recommendation to approve the asked as seneca vaccine is based on data that shows the vaccine offer its protection against covert 19 with a reassuring safety profile while the 1st 2 approvals were for messenger r. N. A. Back scenes the astra zeneca vaccine is based on another technology its and then you know virus faith vaccine this this means that the vaccine uses a common virus from b. A d. You know virus family that has been modified to carry a portion of the covert 19 corona virus called the 5 protein. Again a virus specter of vaccines are easier to handle than m. R. In a box scenes in terms of transport and storage and this should simplify the logistics of rolling the vaccine out across the u. And hopefully can provide a boost to vaccinations in the Member States. Correspondent. In brussels why has it taken the e. U. So long to approve this vaccine michael i would say overall the e. U. Is taking a better safe than sorry approach of what more cautious approach if you want to compare it to countries like the u. K. When it comes to vaccine the prove all so what the e. U. Did not want to do including all the 27 Member States is emergency approval because that does not hold Companies Like astra zeneca liable for potential side effects and that is something that has slowed down this process other aspect and maybe an aspect of cusco related to this is. Only formally handed in authorization on generally 12 for its vaccine so that is much later than in the u. K. Where its been received emergency approval already in december so these may be corelated but these are 2 aspects of why the brutal has taken so long yesterday German Health of