I’m delighted to share with you the latest news regarding the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, which has now been authorised by the Government, following the recommendation from the world-leading, independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve the aforementioned vaccine. This has follows months of rigorous trials and thorough analysis of the data by MHRA experts, who concluded the vaccine met its strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality. Studies show this Pfizer jab is 95% effective and works in all age groups. o0llllp[
Efforts to produce a vaccine first started back in January 2020 and I want to send my heartfelt thanks to all those who took part in the trials, research and development of not just the Pfizer vaccine, but all Covid-19 vaccines currently in production. As I have recently mentioned, we have already secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and a further 315 million doses of other vaccines awaiting final approval.
This is a great day for science and humanity - I really believe we can now see light at the end of the tunnel. I just want to share with you the key information confirmed today by the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, in the House of Commons. Please follow the link the read the full statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/an-update-on-the-coronavirus-vaccine-2-december-2020
Firstly, the priority list for the first phase of the UK’s mass vaccine rollout, which will begin next week has been confirmed by the Government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI):
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Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
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All those aged 80 and over. Frontline health and social care workers
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All those aged 75 and over
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All those aged 70 and over. Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
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All those aged 65 and over
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All individuals aged 16-64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
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All those aged 60 and over
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All those aged 55 and over
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All those aged 50 and over
Two groups will NOT receive the vaccine:
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Pregnant women (as there is no data on its safety if used by those expecting)
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The majority of children under 16 (the JCVI stated that following infection, data shows almost all children have an asymptomatic infection or very mild disease, so as such don’t need it)
I want to assure you the vaccine will, however, be available to those children at very high risk of exposure and/or serious outcomes, including older children with severe neuro-disabilities who require residential care.
The MHRA used a rolling review to complete its assessment of the vaccine in the shortest time possible, with hundreds of experts poring over more than a thousand pages of data. I want to unequivocally stress to constituents that NO corners have been cut in reaching this assessment. This vaccine is safe and is the most important tool we have in defeating this virus. I want to encourage everyone to get this vaccine if and when it becomes available to them – this is going to be crucial step towards getting back towards normality and regaining the freedoms and prosperity Covid-19 stripped away from us this year.