UK orders health service to be ready for vaccine by December

[webfact]

UK orders health service to be ready for vaccine by December

Source: Reuters

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaks during the general debate on COVID-19 at the House of Commons in London, Britain, October 22, 2020. UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government has asked the National Health Service to be ready to deploy any COVID vaccine from the start of December and it will then roll it out, starting with the most vulnerable, the health minister said on Tuesday.

 

Matt Hancock told Sky News that there were many hurdles still to clear and the government would not deploy the shot until it was confident in its clinical safety.

 

News on Monday that a vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech was more than 90% effective sparked a surge in financial markets around the world, a rare piece of good news in the fight against a disease that has killed more than a million people.

 

Britain expects to have 10 million doses of the vaccine available by the end of the year.

 

"I've asked them (the NHS) to be ready from the start of December," he said.

 

"Of course there are many hurdles that need to be gone over and we haven't seen the full safety data and obviously that is critical and we won't deploy a vaccine unless we can be confident in its clinical safety."

 

He added that he did not know when there would be an update on the trial results of a vaccine being produced by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.

 

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Kate Holton, editing by Estelle Shirbon/Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[dunroaming]

This is good news for a change and a real game changer.  It has been long said that the only way to stop this pandemic is with a viable vaccine and it looks like we are getting one!  It will need to tick the boxes before they release it properly but hopefully it will available to the public early next year.

[Proboscis]

18 hours ago, dunroaming said:

This is good news for a change and a real game changer.  It has been long said that the only way to stop this pandemic is with a viable vaccine and it looks like we are getting one!  It will need to tick the boxes before they release it properly but hopefully it will available to the public early next year.

While it is nice to have a lift of such good news, my guess is that the average Joe in the UK is not going to get the jab for at least 6 months after the initial release. The logistical problems are immence. This particular vaccine has to be kept at ultra low temperatures. Unless they can find a work around, I don't think it will be a runner - a competitor will have a vaccine somewhat later but without the ultra low temperature requirement for storage.

 

But even if there is a vaccine that can be stored for extended periods at temperature of say 5-8 degrees C, a normal fridge setting, six months to nine months for roll out in a country the size of the UK would be a safe bet. Medical staff will get it first for obvious reasons. Then all at risk individuals. Then presumably everyone in order of their level of risk. The country with the biggest problem will the the USA because of the anticipated level of resistence to accepting the vaccine (anti-vaxer). This has been estimated at 50% - at that rate, the country will never reach herd immunity and the virus will continue to live on and most likely mutate, a bit like polio does in certain parts of Pakistan.

[PETERTHEEATER]

The need to store this vaccine at much lower than normal refrigeration temperature will be a serious logistical problem and will limit distribution initially requiring receivers to travel to 'jab' centre's. This vaccine, we're told requires two shots around ten days apart and then much later booster shots to maintain effectiveness. Notwithstanding the storage requirement, such rapid development of what promises to be a life-saver is to be applauded.

 

[Robin]

According to UK news on this morning's TV a limited quantity of the vaccine can be stored in normal 'fridge for a short time, so the main problem will be administering doses quickly.  "Logistics are being worked out"  Should not be too difficult as many health professionals can give injections.

Question for other exiles like me stuck in UK is:-  Will Thailand accept a vaccine cert as a legitimate way of coming back to Thailand?

has any one on Thai Visa got any thoughts as to how Thailand will react to this news?  Logic suggest that anyone with a vaccine cert should be OK, but can we rely on logical approach from Thailand?  

Will it be some nonsense like only vaccine approved and made in Thailand is acceptable?

Somehow, I do not see Thailand giving up all the money making opportunities of ASQ so easily.

 

"You are welcome in Thailand only if you have vaccine from Thailand, administered in Thailand.  Sorry, you cannot enter Thailand to get vaccine unless you have vaccine given in Thailand,  (or China?)