Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine arrives at hospitals
The UK was the first nation to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in late 2020. Now the UK’s regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has approved the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine for use as well. On Monday, January 4, the first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines will start to be administered in the UK.
Thousands of Pfizer vaccine doses have already been administered in recent weeks.
The UK has secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which is not enough to vaccinate the entire UK population.
So for many weeks the UK has been awaiting the approval of the Oxford vaccine, of which the Government has secured 100 million doses.
Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Oxford vaccine can be stored in fridge temperatures, a quality which is likely to assist with vaccine distribution to more vulnerable patients, such as those residing in care homes.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am delighted that today we are rolling out the Oxford vaccine – a testament to British science.
“This is a pivotal moment in our fight against this awful virus and I hope it provides renewed hope to everybody that the end of this pandemic is in sight.
“Through its vaccine delivery plan the NHS is doing everything it can to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible and we will rapidly accelerate our vaccination programme.
“While the most vulnerable are immunised, I urge everybody to continue following the restrictions so we can keep cases down and protect our loved ones.”
When can I get an Oxford Covid vaccine?
With the Oxford vaccine now approved for use in the UK, the NHS is rapidly expanding its vaccine rollout programme.
Boris Johnson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr over the weekend: “We do hope that we’ll be able to do tens of millions [of Covid-19 vaccines] in the course of the next three months.”
There are currently half a million doses of the Oxford vaccine available from Monday, and tens of millions more vaccines are due to be delivered over the coming weeks and months.
Both the Pfizer and the Oxford vaccine needs to be administered in two doses.
The UK vaccine rollout will involve administering both doses of the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines 12 weeks apart, although it was initially planned to leave 21 days between the Pfizer jabs.
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According to the Government, more than 730 vaccination sites have already been established across the UK.
However, hundreds more sites are expected to open this week, bringing the UK total of vaccination sites above 1,000.
The first hospitals expected to start rolling out the vaccine in England from Monday include the Royal Free Hospital London NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust.
At the moment the vaccines are being distributed based on a priority list recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The JCVI priority list is as follows:
- Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
- All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
- All those 75 years of age and over
- All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
- All those 65 years of age and over
- All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
- All those 60 years of age and over
- All those 55 years of age and over
- All those 50 years of age and over
Vaccination of care home residents and staff, people over 80 and health and care workers will continue this week.
Based on the JCVI recommendation, further people will then be invited to be vaccinated over the coming weeks and months.
The NHS website states patients should wait to be contacted about receiving a vaccine.
The NHS website adds: “It’s important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then.”
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