BRITS will be given coronavirus vaccine jabs in special drive-thru lanes while sitting in their cars, it emerged today.
The groundbreaking vaccine will arrive in the UK in “hours, not days” after it was approved for use yesterday.
England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam confirmed the Pfizer jab will arrive on British soil “very shortly”.
The government has outlined three main routes of how the jab will be administered.
Special teams will take the vaccines into care homes where residents and staff will receive it first.
Huge centres will also be created which are expected to include drive-thru lanes where Brits will get the jab without leaving their vehicles.
DRIVE-THRU JABS
Airline staff, dentists and midwives who are trained to give injections may be recruited by the government to help deliver the jabs.
Delivering the good news this morning, Professor Van-Tam said the vaccine will be delivered in “hours”.
He told the BBC: “Now, there is a technical issue related to the Pfizer vaccine that we currently expect to receive very, very shortly in the UK, and I do mean hours, not days.”
The technical issue he was referring to was the fact the virus must be stored at -70C, and, once it comes out to defrost, it has to be stored at 2C to 8C, but only for five days.
In total 32 NHS trusts are standing by to roll out the Pfizer Covid vaccine from next week, as early as Monday.
They have been chosen because they have super-cold freezers that are able to store the vaccines at -70C.
The trusts will act as “hubs” which will offer the jabs to people in their area in order of priority, as well helping with co-ordinating distribution.
A London hospital is expected to be the first to give out a Covid-19 vaccine at 7am on Monday morning, The Telegraph reported.
The unnamed hospital is one of seven in the capital to receive batches of the Pfizer jab over the weekend, after it was approved by regulators yesterday.
It could be Croydon University Hospital, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust, Kings College, Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal Free, St George’s University Hospitals or University College Hospitals.
Professor Van-Tam said he expects the Oxford University jab to be given the green-light before Christmas.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I’m hopeful that will happen but that’s entirely out of my hands.”
Ultimately it comes down to the decision of the MHRA, the UK regulatory body, which is currently reviewing data on the vaccine.
VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH
“If it takes them a few weeks, or a few months, that’s fine,” JVT said.
“They have to get it right on efficacy, safety and the quality of the product.”
It was announced the jab – which is 95 per cent effective – has been backed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the morning of December 2.
Hours after the news Pfizer’s jab was safe to be rolled out, experts confirmed who will get the first doses.
It’s based on who most needs the vaccination due to their risk of death or spreading the virus.
Care home residents, their carers and the over 80s are at the top of the list to get the first doses.
The jab will then be rolled out by age, with those over 80 years old first in line, and also to those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable, including people with obesity.
