UK gears up for huge vaccination plan watched by the world

coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech was being sent to hospitals across U.K. in super-cold containers on Sunday, two days ahe of kickoff of Britain's biggest-ever immunization program, one being closely watched around world.

Around 800,000 doses of vaccine are expected to be in place for start of rollout on Tuesday, a day that British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly dubbed as “V-Day,” a d to triumphs in World War II.

“Despite huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart first phase of largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director. “ first tranche of vaccine deliveries will be landing at hospitals by Monday in reiness.”

Last week U.K. became first country to authorize Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for emergency use. In trials, vaccine was shown to have around 95% efficacy. Vaccinations will be ministered starting Tuesday at around 50 hospital hubs in England. Scotland, Wales and rrn Ireland will also begin ir vaccination rollouts same day.

Governments and health ncies around world will be monitoring British vaccination program to te its successes and failures and just ir own plans accordingly. United States hopes to start vaccinations later this month. British regulatory authorities are also examining data on vaccines me by Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford University.

Russia on Saturday began vaccinating thousands of doctors, teachers and ors at dozens of centers in Moscow with its Russian-me Sputnik V vaccine, which was approved over summer after being tested in only a few dozen people.

excitement in Britain, which has Europe's highest virus-related death toll at more than 61,000, was palpable.

“This coming week will be an historic moment as we begin vaccination against COVID-19,” said Hancock.

Patients d 80 and above who are alrey attending hospitals as outpatients and those being discharged after a stay in hospital will be among first to receive jab in Britain. Hospitals will also start inviting over 80s in for a vaccine shot and will work with nursing homes to book staff into vaccination clinics. Any appointments t taken up will be offered to those health workers deemed to be at highest risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Everyone who is vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on speculation that Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, will be vaccinated within weeks and n make it public, a move that could reassure anyone nervous about getting a vaccination.

“Our goal is totally to protect every member of population, Her Majesty, of course, as well,” Dr. June Raine, chief executive of Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory ncy, which authorized vaccine, told BBC.

U.K. has secured 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, which can cover 20 million people. Since British government will only immunize people over 16, around 55 million people in U.K. will be eligible.

w that first tranche of vaccine has arrived from Pfizer's manufacturing plant in Belgium, checks are being conducted by a specialist medical logistics company to ensure re was dam in transit. This could take up to a day.

Each box containing vaccines, which includes five packs of 975 doses, will need to be opened and unpacked manually at specially licensed sites. After that, vaccines will n be me available to hospitals.

Delivering Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is complicated because it needs to be stored at super-chilled temperatures: about minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit). Fortunately, vaccine is stable at rmal refrigerator temperatures, between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35.6 to 46.4 F), for a few days, meaning it can be stored locally. After defrosting vaccine, which takes a few hours, ditional time is required to prepare it to be given in a shot.

Public Health England has secured 58 special Twin Guard ultra-low temperature freezers that provide sufficient stor for approximately five million doses. fridges, which are t portable, each hold around 86,000 doses.

vaccine won't just be provided by hospitals . Local doctors' offices and or local health care centers are being put on standby to start delivering vaccine, with a small number expected to do so week of Dec. 14. More medical practices in more parts of country will be phased in during December and in coming months.

Vaccination centers treating large numbers of patients in sports areas and conference centers will subsequently emerge when furr supplies of Pfizer vaccine or or vaccines come on stream. Local pharmacies will later be able to offer jabs as y do with annual influenza shots.

Although nursing home residents top prioritization list given to British government by independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, y won't be getting vaccinations straight away, as vaccine packs of 975 doses cant yet be divided.

NHS hopes that authorities will soon approve a safe way of splitting up dose packs so vaccination shots can get to nursing homes during December.