WASHINGTON — The coronavirus  vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is said to offer strong protection against COVID-19 within about 10 days of the first dose, according to information published on Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration ahead of a meeting of its vaccine advisory group.

The finding is one of several significant new results featured in the briefing materials, which include over 100 pages of data analyses from the agency and from Pfizer. Last month, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their two-dose vaccine had an efficacy rate of 95% after two doses administered three weeks apart. The new analyses show that the protection starts kicking in far earlier.

The report added that the vaccine worked well regardless of a volunteer’s race, weight or age. While the trial did not find any serious adverse events caused by the vaccine, many participants did experience aches, fevers and other side effects.

On Thursday, FDA’s vaccine advisory panel will discuss these materials in advance of a vote on whether to recommend authorization of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine.

Meanwhile, U.K. health authorities began rolling out the first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, starting a global immunization program that is expected to gain momentum as more serums win approval. The first shot came early in the morning at one of a network of hospital hubs around the country where the initial phase of the U.K. program will be rolled out on what has been dubbed “V-Day.”

The first recipient was grandmother Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week. She received the shot at University Hospital Coventry at 6:31 a.m.

Keenan said she felt “so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against COVID-19.”

“It’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year,” she said.