The process of vaccinating everyone who needs it is said to take “many months.”, but the 50 hospital hubs in the first wave of distribution have been announced, one of which is in Newcastle, The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The hubs are spread out across the whole country and are now up and running.
"This coming week will be an historic moment as we begin vaccination against COVID-19"
health secretary Matt Hancock
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the week of 14-18th December will be an historic moment because of the beginning of the vaccination against COVID-19.
In addition to the hospital hubs in operation, local vaccination centres are being set up and operated by groups of GPs. These centres are to increase with the arrival of more medicines.
The UK aims to have 10 million doses of the Pfizer jab by the end of 2020, although it is quite possible it will only receive four million due to Pfizer’s manufacturing delays.
Although the NHS successfully administers 14 million flu vaccines per year, this vaccine may be more difficult to deliver due to its administration method requirement of two doses given 21 days appart.
With the vaccine hubs across the country now revealed, most of the vaccination of “at-risk” people will be happening from the beginning of 2021 until April.
However, despite the preparation of the given hubs and the additional vaccination centres in place, “everything is dependent on the supply of vaccines,” according to Professor David Salisbury, former immunisation director UK Department of Health.
With the hospital hubs ready for the administration of the Pfizer jab, restrictions are expected to be relaxed by the end of March 2021.