Vaccine: Hancock says UK has five contingency plans for rollout

Coronavirus vaccines will make their first stop in the UK starting today. Health officials with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) fast-tracked local approval of Pfizer’s project earlier this month, using emergency EU legislation. Other countries have yet to follow, and ministers have opted for a careful approach to rolling out doses.

Where will vaccines be issued today?

The UK’s Covid vaccination programme kicked into gear earlier this morning.

Ministers have set up hospital “hubs” across the country to deliver doses at a diverse range of locations.

But a limited portion of the population will receive doses this year, with plans to protect only the most vulnerable.

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In England, people can receive vaccines in one of 50 hospitals across the following six regions:

• Midlands
• North West
• South East
• South West
• Yorkshire
• North East

Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland also have access to the jab and will distribute it as they see fit.

So far, the Government has limited who can get a vaccine.

The immediate plan is to inoculate the most vulnerable people first.

Only over-80s and some healthcare staff will receive the jab today, with other age groups to follow.

The Government has 800,000 doses of the vaccine to start, which ministers will distribute across at-risk groups.

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The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) classified who falls into each category.

Outpatients aged over 80 and those leaving the hospital after a recent discharge will receive it first.

Among those who received the vaccine today was 90-year-old grandmother of four Margaret Keenan.

Speaking after she received the jab, she told journalists of her hopes to set a positive example.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it. I’m happy it’s happened. Hopefully, it will help other people do as I do.

“[I’m] trying to do the best to get rid of the terrible thing”.

As the weeks progress, people aged between 50 and 80, extremely vulnerable individuals and everyone aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions will follow Ms Keenan’s lead.

The Prime Minister hailed today’s advance as a “huge step” towards the end of lockdown, but ministers have envisioned measures to continue until at least spring 2021.

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