Ministers bought 114 crore more doses coronavirus Vaccines that can be tweaked to protect against new variants.
Excessive Modern And pfizer The jabs will be delivered in 2022 and 2023, giving the UK a steady supply for the next two years.
The Health Department said they ‘accelerated’ the signing of new contracts in light of newly discovered omicron the stress.
The deal shows ministers are preparing to build up the country’s deterrence for at least the next two winters.
UK government buys additional 114 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines
Moderna 60 million additional supplements and Pfizer/BioNTech 54 million. will supply
Moderna will supply 60 million additional doses and Pfizer/BioNtech will supply 54 million.
This is on top of 35 million additional doses of Pfizer/BioNtech jabs for delivery in the second half of next year, and 60 million Novavax and 7.5 million GSK/Sanofi doses expected in 2022.
The new deal – negotiated by the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce – ensures access to modified vaccines if they are needed to combat omicrons or future forms of concern.
It comes as ministers unveiled a major advertising campaign designed to encourage people to come forward for their third shot as soon as they are notified by the NHS.
Today’s deal comes on the first anniversary of UK regulators becoming the first in the world to approve a Pfizer vaccine – a move that sparked this year’s world-beating jabs rollout. This is by far the clearest indication that the minister is planning to run an annual booster program against COVID for at least the next two years.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘Thanks to the Vaccine Taskforce, we have an excellent track record of securing the vaccines the country needs to keep this virus at bay.
‘These new deals will future-proof the Great British Immunization Effort – which has so far delivered more than 115 million first, second and booster jabs across the UK – and ensure that we are able to help even more people in the years to come. be able to protect
Today’s deal comes on the first anniversary of UK regulators becoming the first in the world to approve a Pfizer vaccine – a move that sparked this year’s world-beating jabs rollout. This is by far the clearest indication that the minister is planning to run an annual booster program against COVID for at least the next two years.
‘This is a national mission, and our best way to combat this virus and its various forms is by hunting in weapons – so when you’re called forward, jab and boost.’
The government has now secured access to 453.5 million vaccine doses through agreements with six different developers.
Following the emergence of Omicron, Mr Javid sought urgent advice from the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI) to expand the booster program to all people aged 18 and over. The advice was accepted this week, with the NHS tasked with giving boosters to all eligible adults in England by the end of January.
Experts say existing vaccines are likely to offer at least some protection against new forms, particularly severe disease and death.
But leading manufacturers are already working to make their formulas more effective against new threats.
Meanwhile, government advisers are hopeful that boosting antibody levels with current jabs will prevent another wave of infections from Omicron.
Meanwhile, government advisers are hopeful that boosting antibody levels with current jabs will prevent another wave of infections from Omicron. To accelerate the vaccination program, approximately 400 military personnel will be prepared to support deployment, with 1,500 community pharmacy sites, additional hospital hubs and pop-up sites opening in convenient locations nationwide.
More than 3,000 sites are already open in England – more than double the number in February.
But global health leaders yesterday questioned the UK’s booster campaign. Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organisation’s Health Emergencies Programme, said he found no evidence that giving the entire population a booster jab provides any major protection for healthy people.
Asked about the acceleration of the UK’s booster programme, he told a press briefing: ‘For some countries, which have large amounts of additional vaccine, it is hard to decide who to give it, but that’s the problem. . Not being faced by many countries around. A world that can’t even vaccinate its weakest people…
‘There are others here who can answer better than me… but there is no evidence that I am aware of right now that would suggest that increasing the population as a whole would prevent hospitalization more than healthy individuals. Security will be provided. Death.’