BORIS Johnson today hailed the “fantastic” vaccine news which will allow us to “reclaim our lives” – ahead of a No10 press conference tonight.
The PM will address the nation at 5pm today on on today’s vaccine developments and the new Tiers system which comes into place today.
The PM tweeted this morning: “It’s fantastic that @MHRAgovuk has formally authorised the @Pfizer/@BioNTech_Group vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week. (1/2)
“It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again. (2/2)”
And this morning an on-camer briefing will take place with Dr June Raine (Chief Exec of the MHRA), Prof Sir Munir Pirmohamed (Chair of Commission on Human Medicine Expert Working Group) and Prof Wei Shen Lim (Chair of JCVI) on the latest Vaccine news.
Earlier today it was confirmed Britain is the first country in the world to give a jab the green light.
Experts deemed it was safe, meaning the rollout to millions of people can now begin.
800,000 people will be able to get access to the vaccine from next week, and millions across December.
The jab needs to be kept at -70 degrees temperature, and needs two doses 21 days apart to be effective.
The jab – which is 95 per cent effective and developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech – is safe for use, health regulators say.
It means the UK is the first country in the world to give a vaccine the green light.
It will be deployed as “quickly as it is manufactured”, the Health Sec said.
The news came as:
- England’s second national lockdown ended today, plunging the nation into harsher restrictions – but opening shops, gyms and leisure centres
- 50 NHS hospitals will be ready to deliver the jab from next week
- Care home residents, NHS staff and the elderly will be among the first to receive drug
- UK has secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – enough to vaccinate 20 million people – with 10 million doses due in the UK by the end of the year
- The Nightingale hospitals, along with football clubs, race-courses and tennis courts, will be transformed into mass vaccine centres
- A scientist warned it may take six months to get everyone vaccinated
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said that, despite the vaccine news, “we can’t lower our guard yet”.
He tweeted: “The independent regulator authorised the first vaccine for use against Covid-19.
“This is excellent news and a step towards normality. It will take until spring until the vulnerable population who wish to are fully vaccinated. We can’t lower our guard yet.
