Vaccine: Animation demonstrates queue calculator
Vaccinations are continuing at speed across the UK, with now more than 9.2 million people to have received their first vaccination across the country. Today Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK was on target to vaccinate those in the top four priority groups by February 15. New vaccines are being tested continuously, with vigorous trials and testing processes before they are approved.
One such vaccine pending approval is the Valneva vaccine, which is close to being approved.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock addressed the nation today and said the UK has now ordered another 40 million vaccine doses from Valneva.
Mr Hancock adding the UK is continuing with its “no regrets” attitude to backing vaccines which have yet to be approved.
The UK’s supply of coronavirus jabs over the next two years now totals 407 million doses, ministers said.
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Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Hancock said almost nine in 10 of all those aged over 80 had been vaccinated, with more than half of those in their 70s receiving a jab.
He added: “We have visited every single care home with older residents in England and offered vaccinations to all of their residents and staff – this has been an incredible example of health and social care working together.”
Currently, both the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine are being given out across the UK.
To be issued the Valneva vaccine need to be approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Where is the Valneva vaccine made?
The Valneva vaccine is yet to be approved, but if it does the jab will be made in Livingston in Scotland.
The Valneva vaccine is inactivated whole virus, which contains whole bacteria or viruses which have been killed, or small parts of bacteria or viruses, such as proteins or sugars, which cannot cause disease.
Currently, the vaccine is pending approval with the original order for 60 million due to be delivered in the second half of this year.
This puts the total number of Valneva vaccines ordered at 100 million, and Valneva said the total value of the entire order was up to £1.24 billion.
Valneva’s site in Livingston, West Lothian, will manufacture the vaccine.
Clinical trials are ongoing, with the early-stage phase 1/2 study expected to read out within the next three months.
Like both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, the Valneva jab is expected to be given as two doses.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “If approved, Valneva’s vaccine will not only help tackle Covid-19 here in the UK, but aid our mission to ensure there is a fair supply of vaccines across the globe.
“No-one is safe till the whole world is safe.”
Mr Hancock said today the UK has enough doses to vaccinate all of those included in the Government’s top four priority groups by mid-February.
The four groups are
Group one – Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults.
Group two – All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers.
Group three – All those 75 years of age and over.
Group four – All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (not including pregnant women and those under 16 years of age).
The Health Secretary said: “We do have enough supply to be able to hit the target of offering everybody in groups one to four by the 15th of February and we’re working very hard to make sure everybody gets that offer.
“And then I’m very keen that everybody takes up that offer, that isn’t only through the GP services, although they are playing a huge role, but also through the mass vaccination centres and the hospitals.”
He added: “The rollout is happening on mass scale, as you can see by the numbers that we’re getting through and we’ve got the supply to be able to make that offer to everybody ahead of the 15th of February.”
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