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When the Covid-19 pandemic began a year ago, the UK had great scientific expertise in vaccines, but very little industrial capacity to manufacture them. The country only had one major influenza vaccine production plant in Liverpool.
Since then the UK has grown into a world leader in the procurement and distribution of vaccines, which are the best exit strategy from a pandemic that has killed over 100,000 people in Britain and over 2 million. in the world.
The National Audit Office, the spending watchdog, expects the government to invest £ 11.7 billion to develop, purchase, manufacture and deploy Covid-19 vaccines, including £ 6.2 billion for the purchase of vaccines until 2022-2023.
Vaccine technologies in the UK portfolio
Vaccines in the UK portfolio use four methods to introduce Sars-Cov-2 virus proteins into the body, where they trigger an immune system response.
Two mRNA and adenovirus vaccines transfer genetic instructions that allow human cells to make viral proteins. The other two transfer proteins directly, either as “subunit” fragments or as whole inactivated virus.
Overview of the UK vaccine portfolio
The UK government was quick to strike deals with a number of manufacturers to reduce reliance on a single supplier. The UK has so far gained access to 367 million doses from seven suppliers.
The manufacturing process
With three vaccines approved – and more to follow – there is pressure to increase the volume of production to meet the government’s target of giving a first injection to 15 million oldest and most vulnerable people here mid-February and to 32 million people aged 50 and over by April.
Important places
Vaccine manufacturing involves a complex supply chain, with sites at home and abroad.
Priority groups
The UK government has defined nine groups that are hit in order of priority.
So far, the UK is ahead of most of its peers in securing and rolling out vaccines for its citizens. Keep up to date with the latest international figures with the FT vaccine tracker.
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