ROLLING OUT
Pfizer Covid vaccine is ALREADY on its way to UK as lorries seen leaving Belgian plant
REFRIGERATED HGVs loaded with the coronavirus vaccine have today been leaving Pfizer's plant in Belgium bound for the UK.
Video obtained by The Sun shows several trucks driving away from the plant at Puurs and heading towards the Eurotunnel depot at Calais, an hour's drive away.
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A source at Pfizer said: "The key thing is to get the vaccine over to Britain as quickly as possible and given its location driving is the quickest way.
"The vaccine will be delivered to strategic hubs in Britain set up by the Government and then it will be forwarded on.
"Plans were already well advanced so as soon as the green light was obtained by the regulators the doses went out - they will be there in time for use next week in Britain."
The UK became the first country in the world to give the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which is 95 per cent effective, the green light to be rolled out from next week.
Other front runners including the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Moderna jabs are still being assessed by the regulators, who said today they will work over Christmas in the hope of approving more vaccines.
Hours after the news Pfizer's jab was safe to be rolled out, experts confirmed who will get the first doses.
Mr Hancock said we can expect 800,000 doses in the UK by next week, and "several million" by the end of this year. But refused to give an exact figure.
The doses will be shipped over from Belgium in the coming days, and will be here by the weekend, Pfizer bosses confirmed today.
It has to be stored at at -70C, which has made the logistics of transporting the jab a logistical nightmare. It can't be kept at fridge temperatures, such as in GP surgeries, for more than five days.
In total the UK has ordered 40million doses, enough to give 20million Brits the required two doses, 21 days apart.
Care home residents, their carers and the over 80s will be front of the queue to get the first doses, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation confirmed today.
NHS staff will also get priority with 50 hospitals on standby to begin immunising staff.
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Both experts and politicians have hailed the "historic moment", just ten months after Sars-CoV-2 emerged earlier this year, but warned that the country "can't lower our guard yet".
Matt Hancock, said Health Secretary said the approval marks a "new chapter in our fight against the virus", while Boris Johnson said it will help us "reclaim our lives".
Speaking in the commons, the Health Secretary told MPs: "Even since the pandemic hit our shores almost a year ago we have known a vaccine would be critical to set us free.
"It's no longer a case of if there's going to be a vaccine, it's when.
"In our battle against the virus, help is on its way.
"Today is a triumph for all those who believe in science, a triumph for ingenuity, a triumph for humanity."
The Prime Minister hailed the "fantastic" vaccine news which will allow us to "reclaim our lives" - ahead of a No10 press conference tonight.
The news comes as:
- Boris Johnson will give a press conference tonight on the vaccine news
- Matt Hancock revealed millions of Britons would get vaccinated by the end of this year
- 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.
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The Pfizer vaccine is the first in the world to get the green light, with at least two more expected to be approved in the coming weeks - the jabs from Oxford and Moderna.
The Pfizer jab made with German firm BioNTech- which is 95 per cent effective - is safe for use, health regulators say.
It will be deployed as "quickly as it is manufactured", the Health Sec said, but the Government hasn't set out a timetable for when that will be or where people can go to get it.
Ben Osborn, Country Manager, Pfizer UK, said the Government will have the first batches of the virus “by the weekend”.
Speaking at a Science Media Briefing, he said the processes to trigger shipment of the vials began “last night” - before the news of regulatory approval broke.
“We expect to deliver somewhere around 800,000 in next few days”, he said.
“It will be in Government distribution warehouses by this weekend.”
Mr Osborn would not reveal if the stock would be arriving by air or sea to ensure it was transported safely without interference.
Sean Marett, chief commercial officer at BioNTech, was optimistic the jabs could reach Britain as soon as tomorrow.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: 'We’re packing them now as we speak and getting ready for shipping.
"What we can definitely say is it will arrive, the first consignment, in the next few days and that could be as early as tomorrow or it could be a few days later, but the UK will be the first country in the world to be receiving vaccine for administration to its population."
The Health Secretary Mr Hancock told the Commons the first batch of the vaccine has been tested on Wednesday morning ready for deployment next week.
He said: “We’ve spent months preparing for this day so that as soon as we got the green light we would be ready to go."
Mr Hancock said the bulk of the rollout will come in the new year, adding: "We haven't put a finger on the numbers before Christmas."
"People will be contacted by the NHS when it's their turn."
He expressed his excitement to MPs about the promise of a return to normality, saying: "This is a day to remember, frankly, in a year to forget.
"We can see the way out of this but we're not there yet, so let's keep our resolve, keep doing our bit to keep people safe until science can make us free.
"I'm confident now with the news today that from spring, from Easter onwards, things are going to be better and we're going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy."
It followed a round of broadcast interviews this morning hours after the news broke, in which Mr Hancock said: "We can see the dawn in the distance but we got to get through 'till morning."
The PM also hailed the news, and will be lead a TV briefing from No 10 later flanked by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens and England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam.
At PMQs today he thanked everyone involved in the development of the vaccine and on Twitter said it would help us to "reclaim our lives" and get the economy moving again.
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Mr Hancock said he would be willing to get the jab live on TV if it helped persuade people would be safe, and Mr Johnson's press secretary later ruled out the PM would "not rules it out" either.
Mr Hancock was invited to get the inoculation live on TV by Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan who is keen to "send the right message" to anyone with concerns.
The the Shadow Health boss Jon Ashworth offered to "stand alongside" Mr Hancock on "any platform or in any TV studio" to promote the take-up of vaccination, and there are even mutterings
Mr Hancock replied: "If we can together encourage anybody to take a vaccine who may be hesitant by appearing together and getting vaccinated together than of course I'd be happy to do that - it's a deal."
Some antivax sentiment has been present in the UK as many people have voiced their concerns about the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Mr Hancock has "strongly urged" people to take the offer when the NHS got in touch about being vaccinated because "it's good for your community as well to help get this virus under control once and for all".
Ministers are also primed to launch a nationwide campaign across TV and radio highlighting the benefits of vaccination as early as next week.
However, the PM agreed with MP Chris Green in the Commons today that vaccines should be given out on a voluntary basis - but that people should take it.
The Health Sec admitted he was unsure how many people need to be vaccinated before restrictions can be lifted.
He said: "We do not know the impact of the vaccine on reducing the transmission because of the problem of asymptomatic transmission - which has so bedevilled our response to this virus and made it so hard to tackle.
"Therefore we don't know the answer to that question."
The vaccine requires two doses, 21 days apart, and has to be kept at a very low temperature, restricting some of where it can go immediately.
It has to be stored at -70C and can only be thawed in batches of 1,000 before immunisation.
There are concerns about the logistics of getting the vaccines to care homes due to the complexities of keeping the vials freezing cold before administration.
At Prime Minister's Questions today, Mr Johnson admitted: "It does need to be kept at -70C, as I think the House understands, so there are logistical challenges to be overcome to get vulnerable people the access to the vaccine that they need.
"We are working on it with all four devolved administrations in order to ensure that the NHS across the country is able – and it's the NHS that will be in the lead – to distribute it as fast and as sensibly as possible to the most vulnerable groups.
The Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething said today the vaccine "cannot be delivered to care homes" at this stage.
"A Christmas present"
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said the vaccine approval is an early "Christmas present".
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. In years to come, we will remember this moment as the day the UK led humanity's charge against this disease."
Nadim Zahawi, the newly-appointed minister responsible for overseeing the vaccination rollout, tweeted: "Major step forward in the fight against Covid 19 today."
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."
Scotland's national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, tweeted: "Remarkable science, collaboration and logistics has got us to this day. It's a very important moment.
"There will be months of roll out until normality but it's a crucial step. Thanks to all."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: "Thank you to all those involved in this wonderful news - from the brilliant scientists to the trial volunteers. We must now ensure vaccines are rolled out safely but swiftly across the country."
And Labour Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham tried to allay fears about the vaccine, saying: "The UK has one of the strongest medicines and vaccines regulatory systems in the world.
"I can say that with confidence as a former Health Secretary. So, please, don’t believe the scare stories. If the says it is safe, it IS safe."
Are there other effective vaccines?
A number of vaccines are currently being tested - with good results
Recent data from the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccine trials suggests their candidates also have high efficacy, just like the Pfizer jab.
Oxford data indicates the vaccine has 62 per cent efficacy when one full dose is given followed by another full dose.
However, when people were given a half dose followed by a full dose at least a month later, its efficacy rose to 90 per cent.
The combined analysis from both dosing regimes resulted in an average efficacy of 70.4 per cent.
Final results from the trials of Moderna's vaccine suggest it has 94.1 per cent efficacy, and 100 per cent efficacy against severe Covid-19.
Nobody who was vaccinated with the vaccine known as mRNA-1273 developed severe coronavirus.
The UK has secured access to 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine, which is almost enough for most of the population.
It also belatedly struck a deals for seven million doses of the jab on offer from Moderna in the US.
All vaccines undergo rigorous testing and have oversight from experienced regulators.
The UK has secured access to:
– 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine
– 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine
– Some 30 million doses from Janssen
– 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – the first agreement the firms signed with any government
– 60 million doses of a vaccine being developed by Valneva
– 60 million doses of protein adjuvant vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur
– Seven million doses of the jab on offer from Moderna in the US.
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