Great news that Oxford University Covid vaccination has been approved. This really will be a game changer and I hope will see us return to some form of normality in 2021. From 4 January 2021 millions of people will receive the jab. Two doses of the jab will be given 12 weeks apart. This is really important because we will be able to protect more people quickly with the first dose.
Matt Hancock, Health Secretary said that this was a "great British success story" and that “the vaccine is the way out of the pandemic”. 100 million doses are on the way to the centres which means 50 million people will be vaccinated. If the 30 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine are included we have enough to vaccinate the entire population.
We know that vulnerable groups are being vaccinated first and eventually all adults including the under 50’s will be offered a jab. In Croydon we know that this has already started and many residents have already had their first jab. The residents I have spoken to are really pleased to have received the vaccination and are looking forward to the returning to normal life.
This really is a triumph for British science and that the @UnioOxford/@AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use. We will now move to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible – said Boris Johnson, Prime Minister.
Professor Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical officer said that the jab is “safe and effective”.
Yesterday I attended one of a number of meetings being organised by the BME Forum at which Agenlo Fernandes, MBE and a number of other local doctors spoke and answered questions on the new vaccinations. Agenlo said that the only way out of this situation is through mass vaccination.
If you have any queries about the vaccination programme the next session is on Tuesday, 5 January 2020 between 6 and 7.30 pm. Please note that this sessions is being hosted by the Asian Resource Centre - the link to their website and instructions on how to book follow: https://www.arccltd.com/. A number of professionals will be available to answer your questions.
