First Covid vaccine set for rollout as Peterborough health chiefs make plans for mass vaccinations in city

The Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech has been approved in the UK, paving the way for vaccination to start next week.

The jab has been shown in studies to be 95% effective and works in all age groups.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.

“This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will shortly also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive the vaccine, including care home residents, health and care staff, the elderly and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

“The vaccine will be made available across the UK from next week.”

The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT), the trust that oversees operations at Peterborough City Hospital (PCH), has welcomed the news of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking to trust members at their online meeting earlier this week, Caroline Walker, CEO said: “We’re working with our local health system partners to respond to the region wide plan for administering the new Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is available.

“We will be able to issue more up to date information on what the mass vaccination programme will look like in the coming days.

“This is certainly welcome news that a vaccine has been developed in time for roll out before the end of 2020.

“The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and a second period of national lockdown has resulted in us asking those staff who can work from home to do so. However, I’m mindful that this is not a prospect for anyone in a patient-facing role.

“Our region hasn’t yet experienced the same higher level of infections as other parts of the country, for which we are both relieved and grateful. However, we have seen a rise in community cases and in the number of patients needing hospital care at PCH.

“We’re extremely grateful to the public for their understanding in not being able to access PCH as they would normally, as well as not being able to physically visit most inpatients.

“Unlike the first wave of the pandemic, we are continuing to operate services as much as we can to help prevent any further growth of our waiting lists, and working hard to provide patients with an update on the timings they can expect for their care.

“As soon as news of a mass vaccination programme becomes available, we will be looking at ways to implement it.

“In the meantime, I would ask everybody to remain observant of the risks of Covid-19, and support our staff through what will surely prove to be another challenging period.”

The UK is the first country in the world to approve the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, paving the way for vaccination to start next week.

The jab has been shown in studies to be 95% effective and works in all age groups.

The UK has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine, enough to vaccinate 20m people.

Around 10m doses will be available for use in the UK shortly for priority groups, including healthcare workers.

A list of who will receive the vaccine first will be set out later on today (December 2).

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News: “This is fantastic news.

“The MHRA, the fiercely independent regulator, has clinically authorised the vaccine for rollout.

“The NHS stands ready to make that happen.

“So, from early next week we will start the programme of vaccinating people against Covid-19 here in this country.”

Nadhim Zahawi, the newly-appointed minister responsible for overseeing the vaccination rollout, tweeted: “Major step forward in the fight against Covid-19 today.”

Business Secretary Alok Sharma tweeted: “The UK was the first country to sign a deal with Pfizer/BioNTech, now we will be the first to deploy their vaccine.

“To everyone involved in this breakthrough: thank you.”