The British government appointed a vaccines minister on Saturday as it prepares to inoculate millions of people against the coronavirus, potentially starting within days.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Conservative lawmaker Nadhim Zahawi will oversee the country’s biggest vaccine program in decades.

The UK medicines regulator is currently assessing two vaccines — one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the other by Oxford University and AstraZeneca — to see if they are safe and effective. The Guardian newspaper reported that hospitals have been told they could receive the first doses of the Pfizer shot the week of Dec. 7, if it receives approval.

Mr Zahawi, who is also a business minister, said he was "delighted" to be appointed to the role, vowing to ensure vaccines are rolled out quickly to save lives and livelihoods.

He said on Friday he was "extremely disappointed and sad" that Warwickshire, where he serves as MP for Stratford-on-Avon, will be moving into Tier 3.

It came as Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove warned every hospital in England could be overwhelmed with coronavirus cases if new tier restrictions were not introduced.

He urged MPs to "take responsibility for difficult decisions" to curb the spread of COVID-19, amid anger from some Conservatives that much of England will face stringent restrictions.

(With input from agencies)