THE single-dose Janssen vaccine is set to be approved in DAYS with the UK’s fourth Covid jab expected to help widen the rollout to under-50s.
A decision by the health regulator is expected to be made within the next ten days – with the Government having already ordered 30 million doses of the lifesaving jab.
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The jabs, which Britain secured last summer, will add to the UK’s expanding stockpile.
And the extra doses means ministers are in a position to begin vaccinating under-50s as lockdown continues to ease, according to the Mail on Sunday.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is studying data from trials of the Janssen jab – made by the US firm Johnson & Johnson – amid claims that its use has led to “extraordinarily rare” incidents of blood clots.
As of Friday, a total of 32,010,244 people have received their first dose of Covid jabs in the UK, which is nearly 61 per cent of all adults.
This comes after the UK’s third available jab – Moderna – is set to be rolled out in England on Monday.
The UK’s medicine regulator last week recommended offering 18-29 years olds an alternative jab to the AstraZeneca vaccine amid blood clot links.
Government health advisers said they believe that the UK’s third vaccine will start being used in England from April 12.
But experts have changed advice concerning the use of the AstraZeneca jab for under 30s amid fears it can lead to rare blood clots in the brain.
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During a press conference, it was revealed young people in the UK will be offered a different vaccine.
However, from Monday, it’s hoped there’ll be the option to use Moderna for the young instead.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam said: “This is a change in clinical advice for under 30s.
“It will require some changes in the way NHS operationalises the vaccines roll-out programme, but I’ve spoken to colleagues in the NHS in some detail and am assured, because of our supply situation in relation to alternative vaccines, the effect on timing of overall programme should be zero or negligible.
“That, of course, is contingent upon getting the supplies we expect to get of alternative vaccines, Pfizer, which is in use now, and Moderna, that we hope to bring into deployment from mid-April.”
He acknowledged there “might be a small delay sometimes, there might be a greater distance people must travel”.
Unpaid carer Elle Taylor, 24, who lives in Wales, was the first in the world outside of a trial to receive the vaccine this morning.
The UK is committed to buying 17million doses of Moderna, which is given – like Pfizer and AstraZeneca – in two doses several weeks apart.
Trials showed the jab was 95 per cent effective against Covid disease.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was delighted its UK rollout was starting – and it’s hoped the vaccine will lend a much-needed boost to the nation’s sluggish deployment over the Easter weekend.
“The UK government has secured vaccines on behalf of the entire nation and the vaccination programme has shown our country working together at its best,” he said.
