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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he hoped the coronavirus could become a treatable disease by the end of the year as the government launched a new campaign to encourage people to accept a vaccine so that some groups are still reluctant to receive the vaccine.
Ministers are confident they would meet their UK-wide goal of offering a vaccine to everyone most at risk of the virus, including everyone over 70, by Monday.
NHS England said all members of the first four priority groups in England now have the opportunity to be vaccinated, with 14 million of the 15 million most vulnerable people having already received their first vaccine. Wales said on Friday it was the first British country to reach its target.
Hancock said he hoped a combination of vaccines and new treatments would mean Covid-19 could be a “treatable disease” by the end of the year.
He expressed hope that the coronavirus would become “another disease we have to live with” like the flu. “I hope Covid-19 will become a treatable disease by the end of the year,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“If Covid-19 ends up like the flu, if we lead normal lives and moderate through vaccines and treatments, then we can start all over again.”
Now that the UK has cleared the first Covid vaccine, who will get it first?
The Government Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) says its priority is to prevent Covid-related deaths and to protect health and social care staff and systems.
Residents of nursing homes for the aged and their caregivers are first on JCVI’s list because their risk of exposure to the virus is higher and because the risk of death is closely related to old age. They are followed in priority by any other person over 80 years of age and by social workers and front-line health.
Even so, for pragmatic reasons, NHS staff will likely be the first group to receive the Pfizer / BioNTech jab. This is because the vaccine must be stored at extremely cold temperatures, which can be obtained more easily using hospital facilities.
Are there enough doses to reach all priority groups?
Together, nursing home residents, their caregivers and those over 80 make up almost 6 million people, with NHS frontline staff a further 736,685. Matt Hancock, the Secretary of Health, said he expected 10 million doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine to be available this year, so if it’s the only licensed vaccine, everyone should wait until new doses are available next year.
Where will I get the vaccine?
Covid-19 vaccines should be delivered to three types of sites: NHS “vaccination centers” trust hospital sites; mass vaccination centers, which are being set up in places such as football stadiums, conference halls and racetracks – they are expected to vaccinate up to 5,000 people per day; and in general practitioners’ offices and pharmacies. General practitioners can also visit residents of nursing homes and patients confined to their homes at home without them having to travel.
How far will the two doses be given and will I be protected after the first?
While some evidence points to high levels of short-term protection against a single dose of vaccine, a two-dose schedule is what has been approved by the MHRA.
The second dose will need to be given at least 21 days after the first, and both will be injected into the deltoid muscle – the thick triangular muscle we use to lift each arm.
For the Pfizer vaccine, its efficacy rate was calculated seven days after the second injection. It’s likely that people will get protection before that, but that’s how long it will take for full protection to take effect. We will learn more about the extent of protection and how long it lasts as more data from ongoing clinical trials becomes available.
Can I pay to get the vaccine privately?
Unlikely. England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam said he believed Covid-19 vaccines should be given on the basis of clinical priority rather than allowing people to skip the line s ‘they can afford it.
Will I be able to choose the vaccine I have?
Equally unlikely, at least in the short to medium term. Assuming more than one vaccine is approved, the priority will be to get all available doses to the people who need them as quickly as possible.
Linda geddes
However, there are concerns about the uptake rate of the vaccine in some communities, including some people of color. Data shows that whites are almost twice as likely to have been vaccinated as blacks over 80 in England.
Hancock has made a direct appeal to anyone over the age of 70 who still hasn’t had the chance to contact the NHS this weekend to make an appointment. “Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic,” he said.
Overall, uptake of the vaccine has been high, with the Department of Health and Social Affairs (DHSC) reporting a participation rate of 93% among those over 75 in England.
NHS England previously missed its goal of having all nursing home residents vaccinated by January 24, when some were too fragile to make it to vaccination centers or feared infection if they did.
Coronavirus deaths in the UK
About 30 ministers, including Home Secretary Priti Patel and Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi are taking part in virtual tours and meetings to increase confidence in the coup.
“We recognize that some groups feel more hesitant to get a hit, or have more barriers, both physical and mental, that prevent them from accessing it when offered,” Zahawi said.
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