A “pivotal” moment this morning as many in the UK will wake up to discover a second vaccine is set to be rolled out in the UK.
The Oxford vaccine was approved not too long ago, and now, finally, it’s prepared to be dispatched around the country, and is officially available from today.
The vaccine, which can be stored at normal fridge temperature unlike the Pfizer vaccine, has been ordered in mass by the UK government, with sources suggesting they’ve ordered 100 million does.
Priority groups such as the vulnerable and NHS and care staff will receive the vaccine first, followed by everyone else.
There are enough doses for 50 million people, as the vaccine, just like the other one being administered currently, needs two doses in total to be effective.
The time between jabs is 12 weeks, which is up from 21 days initially, and this has been done in a bid to immunise people faster apparently.
All this positive news comes amid fears another lockdown is on the way however, and the health secretary has said that another one cannot be ruled out.
He said: “This new variant is much easier to catch, it is much more transmissible, and we’re now seeing the effect of that in lots of different parts of the country, unfortunately.
“And it means that whereas the old Tier 3 was able to contain the old variant, that is proving increasingly difficult in all parts of the country.”
He also mentioned it was down to the public’s behaviour if we want to avoid another lockdown. Labour leader Keir Starmer himself recently announced that a nation wide lockdown must be imposed within “24 hours”, but no such thing has happened as of yet.
