The UK reportedly has 40m doses of the vaccine on order already and further updates are expected today on who will receive it first.
Guernsey’s Public Health Director Dr Nicola Brink said last week that of the two types of vaccine we receive, one is likely to be an mRNA vaccine, such as the Pfizer/BoiNTech vaccine, and the other an Adenovirus viral vector, which was used in the development of the Lassa Fever and Ebola vaccines, but was never marketed.
The vaccines that we receive will depend on what is allocated by the UK’s Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation.
Great news about Pfizer BioNtech vaccine today. As it is an emergency authorisation, special approvals now needed for Guernsey as set out in HSC policy letter at end of last term – Medicines Committee, P&R and HSC.
— Heidi Soulsby (@HeidiSoulsby) December 2, 2020
It is the first time an mRNA vaccine has been approved for human use, having only previously been used in clinical trials. The vaccine is injected in two doses and works by producing antibodies that fight the virus.
MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine said that while the decision had been made in the shortest time achievable, the thoroughness of their review had not been compromised.
“The safety of the public will always come first. Our job is to work to the highest standards and safety is our watchword.”
Pictured: Preparations towards our own Covid-19 vaccination centre have already started and the conversion of Sir John Loveridge is due to be complete by the end of the month.
Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of the NHS in England, said the news signals the beginning of the “largest-scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history”.
“The NHS has a proven track record of delivering large-scale vaccinations from the winter flu jab to BCG and, once the final hurdles are cleared and the vaccine arrives in England’s hospitals, health service staff will begin offering people this ground-breaking jab in a programme that will expand to cover the whole country in the coming months.”
Guernsey’s own mass vaccination centre is due to be set up later this month at Beau Sejour.