Covid-19 vaccine approved for use next week in the United Kingdom

THE UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

The paves the way for mass vaccination.

Britain’s medicines regulator, the MHRA, says the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe to be rolled out.

The first 800,000 doses will be available in the UK from next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

People should wait to be contacted by the NHS, he added.

Elderly people in care homes and care home staff are top of the priority list, followed by over-80s and health and care staff.

But because of the limited stocks and need to store at -70C, the very first vaccinations are likely to take place at hospitals so care home residents may not be immunised until later.

ID cards for those vaccinated

PEOPLE who have received a coronavirus vaccine in Wales will be given a card detailing the date and type of the vaccination.

The announcement came from health minister Vaughan Gething after Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine was approved by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

In a written statement Mr Gething said: “Those receiving a COVID-19 vaccination will be given a credit card-sized NHS Wales immunisation card which will have the vaccine name, date of immunisation and batch number of each of the doses given handwritten on them.

“These will act as a reminder for a second dose and for the type of vaccine, and it will also give information about how to report side effects.”

Responding to the announcement that a COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the MHRA, Darren Hughes, Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation said: “It’s excellent news and a very significant milestone in the country’s battle to get COVID-19 under control. This vaccine will help us to save many lives over the coming months.

“However, we can’t be complacent now. We will need to continue with the measures we’ve all become familiar with such as social distancing, hand hygiene and wearing a mask where it is appropriate. We know people have made a significant effort this year and made incredible sacrifices as well, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“We are ready to deliver the largest vaccination programme the NHS in Wales has ever undertaken. This will be a huge logistical challenge, which has been thoroughly prepared for and tested.”

How will the vaccine be delivered in Wales?

DUE to the specific requirements of the vaccine it is not just a case of sending it all over Wales. The vaccine is going to be stored in two sites in Wales where health boards will have to pick it up from.

“We are aware of the challenges of storing, distributing and handling the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine,” said Mr Gething. “In particular its need for storage at very low temperatures of below minus -75ºC +/- 15ºC.

“Two specialist sites have been identified as appropriate delivery sites for the vaccine and local Health Boards will collect the vaccines directly from the two sites.”

The first group to get the vaccine will be older adults resident in a care home and care home workers though it not just a matter of distributing directly to care settings. “In practical terms at this stage that we cannot deliver this vaccine to care homes.” said Mr Gething.

The Welsh Government will be using the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to decide who will be the first people to be vaccinated.

The order advised is: