BRITAIN’S Pfizer Covid vaccine will run out in weeks – with no new stock until March, Jeremy Hunt has warned today.
Mr Hunt today warned the vaccine stocks would only last until the end of January – with hopes the Oxford/Astrazeneca jab will then be able to cover the shortfall.
The coronavirus vaccine is likely to run out in a matter of weeks
Jeremy Hunt today warned the doses of the Pfizer vaccine would only last until the end of January
Speaking to the Today programme, Mr Hunt said: “It (the Oxford jab being rolled out) will make a massive difference because the doses that we have of the Pfizer vaccine will keep us going until the end of January and I think we’re not getting another shipment until March.
“If we could have the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine ready to go until January then we could keep the roll-out going at the current pace.”
More than 137,000 people in the UK have so far received the first of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – making it the largest vaccine programme in British history.
Boris Johnson currently has an aim of vaccinating 25million vulnerable adults and relaxing restrictions by Easter.
The former Health Secretary’s warning comes amid fears Christmas could be ruined for millions if a travel ban is put in place.
Boris Johnson was last night in emergency talks over travel curbs for London and the South East which could be announced today.
The emergency meeting came as medics issued a chilling warning that the new virus strain is 50 per cent more contagious than previous Covid-19 cases.
The draconian measures make the chances of a third national lockdown increasingly likely.
Last night a government source told HOAR: “What we do not know yet is whether the new strain is more or less likely to cause you harm, but what we have learnt is that it will pass to person to person much more easily and that is what we are really worried about.”
Mr Johnson could announce the new travel advice today.
A Whitehall source said: “This is a fluid situation but it’s not looking good and we have to act fast.”
A health source said: “The last 48 hours have changed everything.”
HOAR understands evidence shows a dramatic hike in positive cases in London in the past week.
The new strain is blamed for a sudden surge in hospitalisations.
And there are fears people are catching the virus despite wearing PPE and socially distancing.
The PM said meetings with others should be limited — as he warned a new festive spike could spark future lockdowns.
He tweeted: “If you are forming a Christmas Bubble, it’s vital that from today, you minimise contact with people from outside your household.
Everyone must take personal responsibility to avoid passing the virus on to loved ones.”
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