The UK vaccination program will take a big step forward tomorrow with the first ‘super-vax’ centers, capable of accommodating up to 3,000 people a day, opening their doors.
Already 1.5 million people have been vaccinated, mostly by Pfizer injection. Now the massive release of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is showing a blitz of inoculations.
With more than 1,300 people dying every day, and the disease spreading across the country, health workers are locked in a race to protect as many vulnerable people from the deadly virus as quickly as possible.
And with a major acceleration planned this week, tomorrow could mark the beginning of a fight that will finally stop Covid-19 and, ultimately, allow our lives to return to normal. .
THE SPRING ISLANDER
Following the plan to reach the 15 million most vulnerable people by 15 February, the UK vaccination program will target the groups that are left at risk of dying from the virus.
NHS leaders hope this second group of more than 16 million people will be injected before Easter. If so, it means that between 90 and 99 percent of those at risk of dying from Covid-19 will be protected. The rest of the population – those under 50 – will be vaccinated.
Those in the second group who will receive the injection during the Spring are:
- All people aged 65 and over (3.4 million)
- Everyone aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions puts them at greater risk for serious disease and mortality
- All people aged 60 and over (3.7 million)
- Anyone aged 55 and over (4.3 million)
- All aged 50 and over (4.7 million)
HOW THE TARGET WILL BE
Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) has set the target of offering vaccination to the UK’s 15 million most vulnerable people by February 15. To date, nearly 1.5 million have been vaccinated
Boris Johnson has set the very ambitious target of offering vaccination to the 15 million most vulnerable people in the UK by 15 February – in 36 days.
The latest figures, as of Thursday, show the NHS delivered 1,468,000 vaccines over 30 days, or 48,933 per day.
The PM has promised that this will rise to more than 200,000 every day by Friday.
But to hit its 15 million target, the daily rate needs to be close to 347,000. Every day this is missed, the daily requirement goes up.
WHO IS THE FIRST IN A LINE FOR THE JABS?
Expectations for injection over the next five weeks include: Care home residents, key NHS and social care staff, people aged 70 and over and those assessed as ‘clinically vulnerable’.
Of those who have died with Covid-19, 88 per cent are in these groups, The 420,000 former social care residents in England and Wales are in front of the queue and should be vaccinated before January 31st.
One in four people over the age of 80 has received at least one dose.
THIS STORY OF FAR
On December 8, Margaret Keenan, then 90, pictured, became the first person in the world outside of clinical trials to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Within a fortnight, around 500,000 people have been given the injection, and the UK has ordered a total of 40 million doses.
Margaret Keenan, then 90, pictured, became the first person outside of clinical trials to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 8
Last Monday, Brian Pinker, 82, became the first patient to receive the ‘game-altering’ vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, which can be kept in fridges. 100 million doses in the UK are on prescription.
A further 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to be approved in the spring.
The UK has overtaken the EU: Four times more people have been vaccinated here than in Germany, and 300 times more than in France.
RAPID ARMY RECOMMENDATION INFORMATION
The British Armed Forces has set up a ‘vaccine rapid response force’ of soldiers who rip up stock wherever they need it.
130 employees are divided into 21 small teams. They have a responsibility to make sure that vaccination centers across England do not run out of available jobs and return them immediately as they happen.
The British Armed Forces has set up a ‘vaccine rapid response force’ of troops to ensure that vaccination centers across England do not run out of available jobs. Pictured: Brigadier Phil Prosser attends a press conference on January 7th
They are among 5,000 Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel deployed on Operation Rescript in dealing with the pandemic.
A total of 32 military planners are rooted within the Department of Health, the NHS and regional health authorities as part of the growing vaccination program.
In Wales, 90 troops have set up vaccination centers and a further 94 are driving ambulances.
The Ministry of Defense is considering whether a further 1,500 employees could be provided if the crisis continues.
BORIS: NO MORE 10 MILES FROM JAB
HUBS GP A DURVE VACCINATION DRIVE
Most vaccines are given in GP-led complexes. No10 promises to open 1,000 this week across England.
GPs want all surgeries to be able to give the injection. Patients will be vaccinated in 223 English hospitals and dozens more in the rest of the UK.
It is expected to be 80 per cent acceptable. Boris Johnson wants everyone to be vaccinated within ten miles of home.
… AND WE CAN DO IT AT MORRISONS
Up to 50 Morrisons supermarket car parks could host vaccine sites.
Jabs will be available at stores in Wakefield, West Yorkshire; Yeovil, Somerset; and Winsford, Cheshire, from tomorrow.
A further 47 storey car parks were also provided. In addition, around 200 community pharmacies in England will be offering jabs this week.
VACCINATION MASS CENTERS
- ExCel Center, London
- Robertson’s House, Stevenage
- Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey
- Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
- Millennium Point, Birmingham
- Etihad Tennis Center, Manchester
- Life Center, Newcastle
- Elland Road Stadium, Leeds
- Blackburn Cathedral
- Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens
- Telford International Center, Telford
- Black Country Museum of Life, Dudley
- Navigation route, Wakefield
- Jacob’s Well, Bradford
- John Smith Stadium, Huddersfield
Red marks venues that open this week; black indicates outlets that could open in the coming weeks.
Scotland has not yet identified the location of any major vaccination sites, and in Wales and Northern Ireland smaller establishments are being set up in leisure centers and other premises.
MAKE THE THREE JABS IN THE UK (AND ONE MORE IN THE PHIPELINE)
Oxford-AstraZeneca
Order: 100 million doses
How effective: 62-80%
Cost of each dose: £ 3
Storage: Fridge temperature
Where: Large immunization centers, hospitals and GP surgeries
Pfizer-BioNTech
Order: 40 million doses
How effective: 95%
Cost of each dose: £ 15
Storage: -70C
Where: Hospitals, GP surgeries and some major immunization centers
Moderna *
Order: 17 million doses
How effective: 94.5%
Cost of each dose: £ 25
Storage: -20C
Where: Hospitals, GP practices
* Available from April
Janssen: Britain has prescribed up to 52 million doses of this ‘one-shot’ vaccine, with final test data expected within three weeks.
The first dose, which can be stored at the temperature of the fridge, can be given shortly thereafter.
