Over the past few weeks there have been very positive updates regarding potential COVID vaccines, with University of Oxford and British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca the latest to announce a highly effective COVID vaccine – following announcements from Moderna, and Pfizer/BioNTech.
In the UK, the first step of authorising a vaccine is for the Government to formally ask the UK medicines regulator, the MHRA, to assess its suitability. Today the Government announced that it has formally asked the MHRA to assess the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for its suitability for authorisation. Pfizer/BioNTech have already begun supplying data to the MHRA and will submit the full data imminently.
If a vaccine is approved, it will be available across the UK via our NHS, and the Government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure it is deployed fairly to all across the UK.
The NHS is in the process of establishing vaccination centres across the country that can manage the logistical challenge of storing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at minus 70 degrees, while also establishing vaccination hubs in hospitals for NHS staff.
These two routes are likely to comprise the bulk of the campaign this side of the New Year; then there will be a community rollout, involving GPs and pharmacists. Last week, GPs were asked to sign up to deliver local services and many are coming forward.
The three delivery models: community teams, vaccination sites, and hospital hubs, has been devised to be flexible and reach all parts of the country.
The Government has asked the NHS to be ready to deploy at the speed at which the vaccine can be produced. If the regulator approves a vaccine, then vaccinations can start next month, with the bulk of the rollout in the New Year.
Justin Tomlinson said: “This is very encouraging news. The last few months have been very tough, but there does now seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel. The speed at which universities and pharmaceutical companies have worked to produce a vaccine is incredibly impressive and we should all be very grateful for their hard work – as well as all those who volunteered in the vaccine trials.”
There has also been strong progress with the Government winter flu vaccination programme, with 12 million people vaccinated this year already.
The figure is a record for the number of people vaccinated by this point in the year - and is set to increase as, for the first time, flu vaccines are to be rolled out to everyone over 50.
There is no need to contact your GP yourself, as those who are eligible for the flu vaccine will be contacted by their GP directly with further details.
Justin said: “Winter flu already places additional stress on the NHS at this time of year, but COVID has left the NHS even busier. Flu vaccines are hugely important in terms of protecting your family and helping the NHS stay strong this winter, so it is important that everyone who is eligible has the vaccine.”
