WARRINGTON’S two MPs have welcomed news that the UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use, with planning in advanced stages for mass vaccinations in the town.
Professor Simon Constable at Warrington Hospital is closely involved in organising mass vaccinations for Cheshire and Merseyside and planning is at an advanced stage.
The vaccine has been given the go-ahead by the health regulator MHRA and is expected to be rolled out early next week. Trials have shown the jab is 95% effective, working for all age groups.
The government has so far secured 40 million doses of the vaccine, which needs to be refrigerated at -70C (-94F).
The government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has confirmed care home residents and their carers will be first in line to be vaccinated.
Ten million doses are expected in the UK by the end of the year with patients needing two each.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said the approval of the vaccine was “fantastic news”.
He added: “The MHRA – the fiercely independent regulator – has clinically authorised the vaccine for rollout.
“The NHS stands ready to make that happen so from early next week we will start the programme of vaccinating people against COVID-19 here in this country.”
Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols MP welcomed the news saying: “I am absolutely delighted with the news this morning that the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine has been approved by the Medicines and Health Regulatory Agency.
“The amazing scientists who have worked so hard to develop this deserve an enormous debt of gratitude from all of us.
“The Government must now distribute this vaccine in a safe but swift manner.
“I am in regular dialogue with our local public health team and in recent weeks I have met with the Department for Health, Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group, Standing Joint Command and others about our preparedness for vaccine delivery locally.
“I hope everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine will take this opportunity, and we can begin our return to normality after this nightmare of a year.”
Also Welcoming the news that the MHRA has approved a vaccine, Warrington South MP Andy Carter said: “This is the really positive news we’ve been waiting for, this vaccine, along with others that are expected to be approved in the coming weeks, will start the process of getting life back to normal. We’re very fortunate that Professor Simon Constable at Warrington Hospital is closely involved in organising mass vaccinations for Cheshire and Merseyside and planning is at an advanced stage.
“There’s a priority list for vaccination, starting with residents in care homes for older adults and their carers followed by those over the age of 80, frontline health and social care workers and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable. The first 800,000 vaccines should be arriving over the next week.
“We can all be optimistic about this news today but at the same time we need to maintain our efforts while the rollout progresses. Collectively we’ve managed to bring down infections in Warrington over the last month and sticking with the basic guidance of washing hands, covering face and keeping apart from others in confined space is the best form of prevention in the short term”.
Charlotte Nichols and Andy Carter
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