This Is Going to Be Challenging How the Uk Will Roll Out Pfizers ...
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Coronavirus vaccine RECAP: UK becomes first country in world to approve jab for rollout
Boris Johnson told the nation there would be 'great logistical challenges' in rolling out the coronavirus vaccine and that the UK still faced 'long, cold months' before a return to normal
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JONATHAN VAN-TAM ISSUES SOBERING WARNING ABOUT COVID-19
Boris Johnson addressed the nation live from Downing Street on Wednesday as the UK becomes the first country in the world with a clinically approved coronavirus vaccine ready to roll out.
The Prime Minister said there were "immense logistical challenges" in distributing the vaccine, adding: "It will inevitably take some months before all the most vulnerable are protected - long, cold months."
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the bulk of vaccinations will take place in "January through to March or April for the at-risk population".
It comes after the vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech was approved for clinical use by regulators, with the most vulnerable to start receiving the jab next week.
The UK has so far ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with five million due by the end of the year.
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KEY EVENT
Government reveals why care homes won't get the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine
Boris Johnson has set out the difficulties faced in getting the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine into care homes.
It means that when the first doses are rolled out next week they will not find their way into care homes.
This is despite the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) deciding that care home residents were among those who should be given the jab first.
The committee examined data on who suffers the worst outcomes from coronavirus and who is at highest risk of death.
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JONATHAN VAN-TAM ISSUES SOBERING WARNING ABOUT COVID-19
'If we just, kind of, go 'oh, the vaccine's here, let's abandon caution', all you are going to do is create a tidal wave of infections'
Deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: "We have to be realistic about how long this is going to take.
"It is going to take months, not weeks.
"And, for now, the other measures, the tier measures, the social distancing have to stay in place.
"If we relax too soon, if we just, kind of, go 'oh, the vaccine's here, let's abandon caution', all you are going to do is create a tidal wave of infections.
"And this vaccine has then got to work in a head wind to get back ahead of the game. And that will make it harder."
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POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
'If you are going to be one of those people the hospital will get in touch with you'
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the vaccine rollout will start at 50 "hospital hubs" in England next week.
He said: "The vaccine that has been approved for the NHS to deploy today, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, has been independently shown to be medically safe, but it is logistically complicated.
"We have to move it around the country in a carefully controlled way initially at minus 70 degrees centigrade, or thereabouts, and there are a limited number of further movements that we are allowed by the regulator to make.
"It also comes in packs of 975 people's doses so you can't at this point just distribute it to every individual GP surgery or pharmacy as we normally would for many of the other vaccines available on the NHS.
"So the phasing of delivery, the way we will do it, is that next week around 50 hospital hubs across England will start offering the vaccine to the over-80s and to care home staff and others identified by the JCVI typically they may be people who were already down to come into hospital next week for an outpatient appointment.
"So if you are going to be one of those people next week or in the weeks that follow the hospital will get in touch with you, you don't need to do anything about it yourself."
Second dose has to be 'reserved for the people who are getting the first dose in December'
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the bulk of vaccinations will take place in "January through to March or April for the at-risk population".
Speaking at the Number 10 press conference, he said: "Supplies from the manufacturer are phased so the initial tranche in December is going to enable us to get started but the bulk of this vaccination programme, either through this vaccine, or hopefully others as well that will join it, will take place in the period January through to March or April for the at-risk population.
"The majority of the early vaccinations will, as I say, be for the over-80s and for care home residents and since you need two jabs with an initial injection and then a booster given to you around 21 days apart that means that we've got to reserve the second dose for the people who are getting the first dose in December to make sure that that second dose is available for them."
'The doors have opened, and we need people to get on that train'
Jonathan Van Tam used his own metaphor, perhaps inspired by Boris the poet.
He said: "The doors have opened, and we need people to get on that train."
He describes the vaccine's journey, adding people should be "delighted" but "patient and realistic".
Van Tam 'quite emotional this morning'
Professor Jonathan Van Tam hailed "what a momentous journey" as he admitted he was "quite emotional this morning" hearing how the vaccine had been developed and approved.
KEY EVENT
Johnson now 'sure and certain' life could start returning to normal in 2021
Despite warning against over-optimism, Boris Johnson said it was now "sure and certain" that life could start returning to normal in 2021.
A combination of community testing, vaccines and social distancing measures were still necessary, he told the Downing Street press conference.
"As we do all this we are no longer resting on the mere hope that we can return to normal next year, in the spring, but rather the sure and certain knowledge that we will succeed and together reclaim our lives and all the things about our lives that we love," he said.
KEY EVENT
BREAKING: First coronavirus vaccine jabs given to patients at 50 hospital hubs next week
The first coronavirus vaccine doses will be given to patients at 50 hospital hubs next week, the head of the NHS has said.
Sir Simon Stevens said people over 80 and care home staff will be able to get the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine at hospitals.
The first patients may be people already down to come to hospital for outpatient appointments, he told the Downing Street press conference.
Read the full story as we bring you the latest on this breaking news
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PA)
Warning not to 'fall into the naive belief that the struggle is over'
Boris Johnson acknowledged there were "immense logistical challenges" in distributing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The Prime Minister told the Downing Street press conference: "It will inevitably take some months before all the most vulnerable are protected - long, cold months.
"So it's all the more vital that as we celebrate this scientific achievement we are not carried away with over-optimism or fall into the naive belief that the struggle is over."
Meanwhile, the more straight-talking Jonathan Van Tam is now saying his bit
Boris's metaphors..
Boris Johnson said the "searchlights of science" had picked out the "invisible enemy" as he welcomed the approval of a coronavirus vaccine.
He said scientists had performed "biological jiu jitsu" to turn the virus on itself.
At the Downing Street press conference he said the NHS would now embark on the the "biggest programme of mass vaccination in the history of the UK" from next week.
'Biggest vaccination campaign in our history'
"This is the first time in the world that these particularly complicated logistics have been put in place." - Simon Stevens
Bulk of the vaccine programme will be between January to March/April
NHS CEO Simon Stevens has said the bulk of the vaccine programme will be between January to March/April for the vulnerable.
For the vaccine to work, you have to have a second dose.
This has to come after 21 days.
This means no one will have the second dose until January, at the earliest.
The vaccine will be delivered to 50 hospital hubs next week.
Chief Executive of the National Health Service Sir Simon Stevens is speaking now
Today's press conference line-up
Plan relies on continuing sacrifices
"Our plan does rely on us continuing to make sacrifices to protect those they love."
'Immense logistical challenges'
Boris Johnson said: "It will inevitably take some months before the most vulnerable are protected. Long, cold months."
He has warned that we should not get 'carried away' with 'naive optimism' and think our battle is over.
Here come the metaphors...
"Biological JuJitsu..."
Here they come
And they are up...
Watch above.
Watch 5pm conference above
We are broadcasting live from Downing Street from 5pm, when the Prime Minister will appear and field questions about the vaccine rollout.
He is expected to provide more details.
Watch the broadcast above.
Stay tuned.
Trays of vaccine come in batches of 1,000 which could pose problems when delivering to care homes
The trays of vaccine come in batches of 1,000 which could pose problems when delivering vaccines to care homes.
Care homes typically have dozens of residents. None have a thousand.
This means that if a batch is delivered to a care home then there could be a potential waste of precious vaccine stock.
Health officials are working out the logistics on how to safely give the inoculation to care home residents. Supplies will be shipped to hospitals.
It is believed that at first the rollout will begin in hospital sites with sub-zero freezing capacity.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this morning that 50 hospitals across the country are already set up and waiting to receive the vaccine.
Meanwhile officials have also taken into consideration other factors such as personal protective equipment for staff delivering vaccines.
People will be offered vaccination appointments - they shouldn't immediately call their GP requesting a jab.
KEY EVENT
Boris Johnson to hold No10 press conference at 5pm as first Covid-19 vaccine approved
Boris Johnson is to hold a Number 10 press conference at 5pm, following news that the first Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for use.
It comes after the first vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech was approved for clinical use by regulators, making the UK the first country in the world with a clinically approved vaccine ready to roll out.
The PM will give further detail and take questions in the televised briefing from Downing Street.
And before that, at around 10am, experts will give a technical briefing on details of the vaccine.
Dr June Raine, Chief Exec of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), which approved the vaccine, will lead the briefing.
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Pippa Fowles / No10 Downing Street)KEY EVENT
'Don't get your hopes up for getting jab soon', warns Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has urged Brits not to get their hopes up for getting the new coronavirus vaccine soon.
It comes after vaccine chiefs announced the priority list for vaccinations - which puts elderly people in care homes and their carers at the front of the queue.
The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation updated the list of priorities today, after the vaccine was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority.
Read the full story
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AFP via Getty Images)
Vaccine can only be transported four times - it takes three moves to get to UK storage hubs
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine needs to be stored at an ultra low temperature until a few days before being delivered to a patient.
It has been suggested that the vaccine vials will be stored in hospitals and wholesalers which have appropriate freezers.
The typical GP practice will not have the facilities to store the vaccine at this temperature. Vaccine transport has also been taken into consideration - it needs to be transported at sub zero temperatures and handled extremely carefully.
Pfizer's manufacturing site in Puurs, Belgium, is being used for European supply.
The vaccine will be delivered by planes - Pfizer has already ruled out ocean transport due to timings.
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AFP via Getty Images)The company has created special suit-cased size containers fitted with temperature and GPS trackers to ship the vaccine.
Once the vaccine supply arrives in the UK it will undergo quality checks to ensure it has been shipped safely.
The vaccine will then be unloaded and moved to storage freezers where it will undergo a further temperature check.
It is understood that the vaccine can only be transported four times. It takes three moves to get the vials to storage hubs across Britain.
So the final move will need to take place just before the vaccine is given to a patient.
What needs to happen before people actually start to receive the vaccine?
There are huge logistical challenges behind delivering a vaccine which needs to be stored between minus 70C (minus 94F) and minus 80C (minus 112F).
Work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure that staff are ready to start delivering jabs to the most vulnerable, as well as health and care workers, as a priority.
Months of preparation has gone into arranging the delivery of a vaccine.
Mass vaccination clinics have been proposed, with a number of venues suggested, including sports halls, leisure centres and even the Copper Box stadium in London's Olympic Park.
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PFIZER HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)The NHS Nightingale Hospitals have also been earmarked as sites for mass vaccination clinics - among other uses. Hospitals, GP surgeries and pharmacists have also been put on standby.
Meanwhile St John Ambulance is recruiting thousands of volunteers to help with the rollout.
In addition, NHS leaders have said there will be "roving teams" deployed to vaccinate care home residents and workers.
KEY EVENT
First jabs in Scotland on Tuesday as vaccine marks 'beginning of pandemic's end'
The first coronavirus vaccines in Scotland will be administered on Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon says.
Scotland's First Minister welcomed the UK becoming the first country in the world to approve the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, saying it may mark the "beginning of the end of the pandemic".
She also warned delivering the vaccine to more than four million adults across Scotland will be a "massive, massive operation".
The Scottish Government is working with health boards, councils and the Army on its vaccine plans, with the First Minister saying these are already "well developed".
Ms Sturgeon said: "This is the biggest logistical peacetime challenge that the country will ever have undertaken.
"The planning is well under way. But there are people in this organisation right now who are full-time working on this to make sure this goes as we need it to."
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PA)KEY EVENT
First doses will go to care home residents next week, says No10
Downing Street has said the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the UK will go to care home residents starting from next week.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) has published the updated prioritisation list and said the people in care homes are the most vulnerable given that age is clearly the biggest risk factor with this virus.
"They also said that while it is right that every effort should be made to supply vaccines to care home residents there will some flexibility and that deployment will be a factor.
"What the prioritisation list shows is our determination to make sure the most clinically vulnerable receive it first."
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SWNS)
No10 avoids Hancock's claims UK able to approve jab faster due to Brexit
Downing Street declined to be drawn on claims by Matt Hancock that the UK was able to approve the Pfizer vaccine more quickly because of Brexit.
Asked about the claim, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The MHRA (the regulator) is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of quality, safety and medicines regulation and the public should be sure that the vaccine is safe for use.
"It is clear that we are the first country in the world to approve this vaccine and it is incredibly positive news that we will be able to start to distribute it."
KEY EVENT
Coronavirus hospital deaths soar by 465 with healthy 19-year-old among victims
A further 465 people have died of Covid-19 in UK hospitals.
In England 372 more people died, four more in Northern Ireland, 38 in Scotland and 51 in Wales.
The youngest person to lose their life was a 19-year-old in England, who did not have any underlying health conditions.
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Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)This Is Going to Be Challenging How the Uk Will Roll Out Pfizers ...
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronavirus-vaccine-uk-live-updates-23101863