The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced, on Thursday, that the United Kingdom is the first country to approve the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the French pharmaceutical company Valneva, making it the country's sixth vaccine.

"The UK's independent medicines regulator is the first in the world to approve the Valneva vaccine which becomes the sixth COVID-19 vaccine to be granted an MHRA authorization," the statement read.

The Valnela vaccine was also the first inactivated vaccine to be approved in the United Kingdom. The vaccine, which is made by cultivating the virus in the laboratory and completely deactivating it so that it cannot infect cells or replicate in the body, induces an immune response to coronavirus infection, according to the statement, adding that the technology is widely used in the development of flu and polio vaccines.

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On his account, MHRA Chief Executive June Raine said: "Our approval of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Valneva today follows a rigorous review of the safety, quality, and effectiveness of this vaccine, and expert advice from the government's independent scientific advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines."

The Valneva vaccine has been approved for use in people aged 18 to 50, with the second dose to be given at a 28-day interval.

The UK has previously approved five coronavirus vaccines, including those manufactured by BioNTech, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Novavax, and AstraZeneca.