How will the storage requirements of the Pfizer vaccine affect the programme?
The vaccine must be storedat -70C to be effective, meaning it can only be delivered to GPs with the facilities to keep it at that temperature.
It will be difficult to administer in care homes.Deputy chief medical officer professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: This is a complex product. It is not a yoghurt that can be taken out of the fridge and put back in several times.
It is understood the vaccine batches are being broken down into doses of 75, in order to give the vaccine toelderly residents and staff in homes with more than 50 beds to avoid wastage.
The Oxford vaccine does not need to be stored in such cold conditions - it can be kept at temperatures between 2C and 8C.
This means it is moremobile than the Pfizer jab and therefore more easily deployed into care homes of varying sizes and into private homes for individual doses.
Experts believe the Oxford jab will be easier to deploy beyond formal healthcare settings, in part because it does not need to be stored at such cold temperatures as the other approved vaccine.
Vaccine MinisterNadhimZahawi said that 8am-8pm inoculations will continue for those in the over-80s age group, but as more people in other age groupsbegin to receive the vaccine, "it becomes much more convenient for people to go late at night and in the early hours".
Mr Zahawi expected the scheme to be in operation in hospitals around London, and 50 vaccination centres, by February.
Additionally, three hospitals in Birmingham began offering 24-hour vaccinations for health and social staff from the night of Jan 20.
Offering vaccinations overnight will speed up the rollout, and allow the Government to reach their goal of vaccinating 32 million people - 60 per cent of the UK adult population by spring, which was announced on Jan 11.
The EU has threatened to block exports of the Pfizer vaccine following a row with the vaccine company, AstraZeneca.
On Jan 26, Brussels decided to impose tighter controls on exports afterreacting with furyto the news that AstraZenecawill deliver 50 million fewer doses to the EUthan it had expected.
The EU has said that it will "take any action required to protect its citizens", leading ministers to worry that the delivery ofPfizer vaccines to the UK will- at best - be delayed by extra paperwork.
This led the Governmentto say on Jan 31that it can "absolutely guarantee" its programme of delivery of the Covid-19 jab,amidthe row with the EU over vaccine supplies, with International trade secretary Liz Truss confirming that "contractual supplies won't be disrupted."
Two of the first NHS staff to get the jab suffered allergic reactionsandtheMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency warned the vaccine should not be administered topeoplewith a history of significantallergic reactions.
However, ProfStephen Powis said that this was common for new vaccines and the staff haverecovered well.
The South African variant and the Brazilian variant have threatened to undermine the vaccine and testing gains of recent months.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is expecting some vaccine tweaks to be needed as it has already begun to look at how quickly an altered jab could be approved, and Matt Hancock has said he is "very worried".
As of Feb 10, 141cases of the South Africa Covid-19 variant have been identified in the UK. Due to some cases not being linked to travel,door-to-door testing will take place in some parts of England.
This comes as scientists have found that theKent coronavirus variantis mutating to mimic theSouth African variant,which could render current vaccines less effective.
It was announced on Feb 7 that studies of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca jab have shown that itdoes not protect against mild and moderate infection of the South African variant.
However, vaccines against new coronavirus variants should be ready by October, the team behind theOxford University/AstraZeneca jabhas said.
On Jan 25, Moderna Inc announced that its vaccine was effective against the Kent and South African variants. Deliveries of the vaccine will take place in the spring.
Britain is also on the brink of approving a fourth coronavirus vaccine, after a jab trialed in the UK was shown to be highly effective against the Kent variant in what the Health Secretary hailed as a breakthrough.
Sixty million doses of the Novavax jab have been secured by the UK,which Mr Zahawi was himself injected with as part of the trial, which was shown to be 89.3 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus in participants.
Professor Paul Heath, the Novavax Phase 3 trial chief investigator, said he believed that vaccines could be adapted "at pace" to target new variants of coronavirus after the Novavax jab was found to be effective against the Kent variant.
Crucially, it was shown to be highly effective in preventing infection from the Kent variant whichBoris Johnson said on Jan 22 could be up to 30 per cent more deadly than the original.
Prof Neil Ferguson, who sits on Nervtag, the Government's virus advisory committee, said the latest data showed up to 13 in 1000 people aged 60 who contract the variant strain could die, compared with 10 in 1000 who caught the original variant.
"It is a realistic possibility that the new UK variant increases the risk of death, but there is considerable remaining uncertainty," Prof Ferguson told ITV.
The professor said the data available on the new variant is patchy, but there is a "signal" that there is a "1.3-fold increased risk of death".
However, most promisingly, on Jan 16, The Telegraph exclusively revealed that Britain would have the capacity to vaccinate the entire nation against new coronavirus strains within four months, once a new super-factory opens this year.
The government is currently looking to the future, and Boris Johnson has said that elderly and vulnerable people in the UK may have a coronavirus vaccine every year, similar to the roll-out of the annual flu jab.
Have you had the Covid vaccine or are you due to get one? We want to hear from you. Get in touch with us here.
Read more here:
Who is next on the priority list for Covid vaccines - and how will I be contacted? - The Telegraph
- Texas is diverting thousands of COVID-19 vaccine doses away from Dallas County, Judge Jenkins says - WFAA.com - March 2nd, 2021
- The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines: Live updated - CNN - March 2nd, 2021
- FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Third COVID-19 Vaccine - FDA.gov - February 28th, 2021
- Coronavirus UK news update Covid alert drops from 5 to 4 as Queen asks Brits wary of vaccine to think abo - The Sun - February 26th, 2021
- Who is next on the priority list for Covid vaccines - and how will I be contacted? - Telegraph.co.uk - February 26th, 2021
- The Covid-19 vaccines reduce transmission. Heres the evidence. - Vox.com - February 24th, 2021
- India's Covid vaccine maker told to meet domestic demand first, urges 'rest of the world' to be patient - CNBC - February 24th, 2021
- Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Will Continue Age-Based Approach To COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility; Educators and Childcare Providers To Have... - February 24th, 2021
- Australian Open crowd boos at mention of coronavirus vaccines and Victorian government after Novak Djokovic's win - ABC News - February 22nd, 2021
- Quixplained: What is the South African variant of Covid-19? - The Indian Express - February 20th, 2021
- Texas power outage, storm delay COVID-19 vaccine deliveries, injections - The Texas Tribune - February 20th, 2021
- How many Covid vaccinations have been given in my area? Use our postcode tool to find out - Telegraph.co.uk - February 20th, 2021
- COVID-19 tests, not to be confused with vaccine, in LA to be available without appointment next week - FOX 11 Los Angeles - February 20th, 2021
- New coronavirus variants are emerging across the globe: Everything we know - CNET - February 18th, 2021
- Heres why some coronavirus vaccine suppliers say they arent selling to provinces - Global News - February 18th, 2021
- More Than 4 Million Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Have Been Given in Texas; Supersites Arrive Next Week - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth - February 16th, 2021
- The superspreaders behind top COVID-19 conspiracy theories - The Associated Press - February 16th, 2021
- India is set to become a vital Covid vaccine maker perhaps second only to the U.S. - CNBC - February 16th, 2021
- Oxford Covid-19 vaccine Q&A: How effective is it, and how is it different to the Pfizer vaccine? - Telegraph.co.uk - February 16th, 2021
- Boris Johnson says move to ease lockdown will be irreversible - The Independent - February 16th, 2021
- Explained: Are new Covid-19 variants detected in the US more contagious? - The Indian Express - February 16th, 2021
- 78-Year-Old Woman Dies After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine; No Link Suspected - NBC Southern California - February 14th, 2021
- Here's Who Will Be Eligible for the COVID Vaccine in Illinois Starting Next Week - NBC Chicago - February 14th, 2021
- Coronavirus UK news LIVE Britain to hit 15m Covid vaccination target TODAY as plan to get out of lockdown l - The Sun - February 14th, 2021
- A doctor had 6 hours to use a vial of COVID-19 vaccine before it expired, so he gave the shots to 10 people. For that, he was fired. - Chicago Tribune - February 12th, 2021
- Memphis surgeon dies of COVID-related illness weeks after receiving second COVID vaccine - WREG NewsChannel 3 - February 12th, 2021
- Where to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine in Austin, Travis County area - KXAN.com - February 11th, 2021
- Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines are just the beginning. Will Australia miss out on the mRNA medical revolution? - ABC News - February 9th, 2021
- Covid UK news LIVE Over 70s URGED to chase coronavirus vaccine slots as Brits told too early to book summe - The Sun - February 9th, 2021
- UK coronavirus LIVE: Brits face third AstraZeneca vaccine as over-70s urged to contact NHS for jab - Evening Standard - February 9th, 2021
- LIVE BLOG: North Carolina bills for COVID-19 relief, mandatory in-person schooling working through General Assembly - WXII12 Winston-Salem - February 6th, 2021
- New COVID-19 prediction models forecast a potential fourth wave and how to minimize it - GeekWire - February 6th, 2021
- Covid UK news Most adults will be vaccinated by May leaked letter reveals as it emerged pub curfew to be s - The Sun - February 6th, 2021
- The priority list for the Covid vaccines - and how you will be contacted - Telegraph.co.uk - February 6th, 2021
- Select Texas CVS Pharmacy locations to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines next week - KXAN.com - February 4th, 2021
- The Second COVID-19 Shot Is a Rude Reawakening for Immune Cells - The Atlantic - February 4th, 2021
- You think it's taking too long for Covid vaccination? Global Vaccine Timeline stretched to 2023! - Sierra Wave - February 4th, 2021
- What to Know About Covid-19 and the 2021 Super Bowl - The New York Times - February 4th, 2021
- A Primer on the COVID-19 Vaccines Available in the United States - Davidson News - February 1st, 2021
- Go read this story about how bad software helped slow coronavirus vaccine distribution - The Verge - February 1st, 2021
- Tax season 2021: Stimulus payments, unemployment and every other major change - CNET - January 30th, 2021
- Oregon COVID-19 vaccine update: More than 300,000 people have received at least one dose - KGW.com - January 30th, 2021
- How to get the COVID-19 vaccine from Walgreens - WFLA - January 29th, 2021
- California And COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout: Why Can't The State Get It Right? - NPR - January 29th, 2021
- Here's how local residents 65 and older can register for the COVID-19 vaccine - WPBF West Palm Beach - January 29th, 2021
- Coronavirus UK news Every covid vaccine UK paid for will STAY in this country despite furious EU demands, G - The Sun - January 29th, 2021
- CVS to Begin Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations in February - 9 & 10 News - 9&10 News - January 27th, 2021
- COVID-19: WHO races to develop vaccination card - DW (English) - January 27th, 2021
- Will you be getting the vaccination shot - WCBI - January 27th, 2021
- China Wanted to Show Off Its Vaccines. Its Backfiring. - The New York Times - January 27th, 2021
- When and where can I get my coronavirus vaccination in the Bay Area? - San Francisco Chronicle - January 27th, 2021
- Oxford Covid-19 vaccine Q&A: How effective is it, and how is it different to the Pfizer vaccine? - The Telegraph - January 27th, 2021
- Texas will receive 332,750 first doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week, DSHS says - KXAN.com - January 25th, 2021
- W.H.O. Finally Lands in China to Begin Tracing the Coronavirus - The New York Times - January 25th, 2021
- $1,400 stimulus should go only to those who get COVID-19 vaccine, Congressman says - AL.com - January 25th, 2021
- Riverside County says new COVID-19 vaccine website will help after online frustration with appointment setting - KTLA - January 23rd, 2021
- Here's Where To Pre-Register For The COVID-19 Vaccine In The St. Louis Area - St. Louis Public Radio - January 23rd, 2021
- How Beijing Turned Chinas Covid-19 Tragedy to Its Advantage - The New York Times - January 23rd, 2021
- Getting the COVID-19 vaccine in L.A.: From tears to triumph - Los Angeles Times - January 23rd, 2021
- India starts supplying COVID-19 shots to neighboring nations - The Associated Press - January 23rd, 2021
- VERIFY: What happens if I get the 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine but delay the 2nd? - KING5.com - January 23rd, 2021
- The priority list for the Covid vaccines - and how you will be contacted - The Telegraph - January 23rd, 2021
- Facing a crush of COVID-19 patients, ICUs are completely full in at least 50 Texas hospitals - The Texas Tribune - January 23rd, 2021
- When will the COVID-19 vaccine be available to everyone? Texas is still in Phase 1, but here's a guess - KHOU.com - January 21st, 2021
- mRNA coronavirus vaccines were developed in record time. Dont be fearful of the speed - Boston Herald - January 21st, 2021
- Some Healthcare Workers to Get 2nd Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Today - NBC Connecticut - January 19th, 2021
- Understanding The COVID-19 Vaccination Timeline - CBS Pittsburgh - January 19th, 2021
- Pasadena begins offering COVID-19 vaccine to city residents 75 and over, but supplies are limited - Los Angeles Times - January 19th, 2021
- Heres whos getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Central Texas in 6th week of rollout - KXAN.com - January 19th, 2021
- Thousands flocking to virus vaccination sites across Alabama - FOX10 News - January 19th, 2021
- Hays County now approved to be COVID-19 vaccine hub, but getting the shot could be challenging - KXAN.com - January 19th, 2021
- Gov. Abbott to give COVID-19 vaccination update at 12:15 p.m. - KXAN.com - January 19th, 2021
- COVID-19 Vaccine | Everything you need to know in Virginia and North Carolina - 13newsnow.com WVEC - January 19th, 2021
- Penn medical school is giving COVID-19 vaccine priority to employees who dont see patients. Philly says that - The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 19th, 2021
- Patton State Hospital to vaccinate all patients against COVID-19 by this week amid major outbreak - San Bernardino County Sun - January 19th, 2021
- VERIFY: Is there a difference between COVID-19 vaccine dose one and two? - WFMYNews2.com - January 19th, 2021
- Ontario premier to update province's coronavirus vaccination plan in the face of Pfizer supply cutbacks - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News - January 19th, 2021
- Can people who get the coronavirus vaccine still be contagious? The story of sterilizing immunity. - Salt Lake Tribune - January 19th, 2021
- Have a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Houston today? Here's what you need to know - KHOU.com - January 18th, 2021
- LDH: 4,100 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Friday, 123 deaths reported since Thursday - FOX 8 Live WVUE - January 18th, 2021