The jab by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, if approved in time, would help the Government reach its immunisation target of 13.2 million people by mid-February, the Daily Telegraph reports. Health officials have also confirmed patients in England will start to get Oxford and AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines from their GP surgeries as of Thursday.
The UK has ordered up to 52 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine.
The move forms part of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.
Nadhim Zahawi, minister for Covid-19 Vaccine Deployment, has told Sky News the goal of 13.2 million people requires a “herculean effort”.
So far, 1.3 million doses have been administered.
People who live and work in care homes are prioritised first, followed by those aged over 80 and healthcare workers.
Those aged over 75, over 70 and the clinically extremely vulnerable are next.
Sir John Bell is the Regius Chair of Medicine at the University of Oxford and advises the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce.
He told the Telegraph the Johnson & Johnson jab is “highly likely” to be effective, adding: “I think they will have supplies available for the UK in a time frame that would allow it just to catch the mid-February target of getting the numbers up.”
The Prime Minister described the impact of the new coronavirus strain in the Commons on Wednesday.
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He said: “As we take this giant leap towards finally overcoming this virus and reclaiming our lives, we have to contend with the new variant which is between 50 and 70 percent more contagious.
“This mutation is spreading with frightening ease and speed in spite of the sterling work of the British public.
“[It] has led to more cases than we have ever seen before.”
Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS medical director for primary care, has told the Press Association: “The biggest vaccination programme in NHS history is already off to a strong start with around one million people already vaccinated against Coronavirus – this is a credit to our exceptional NHS staff.
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“GPs, nurses, pharmacists and countless other staff and volunteers have been working around the clock to be able to launch almost 200 more sites this week.
“Combined with the arrival of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, we will now be able to protect many more vulnerable people against the virus and faster.”
On Wednesday, the UK reported more than 1,000 daily virus deaths – 1,041 in total – for the first time since April.
This figure was recorded alongside 62,322 new cases, the highest daily rise since mass testing began.
In total, 77,346 coronavirus deaths have been recorded across the UK.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said teachers have a “strong case” for receiving the vaccine in the coming weeks.
Speaking in the Commons he said: “Once we have vaccinated those who are clinically vulnerable, of course, we are considering who then should be the next priority to vaccinate.
“Teachers have a very strong case, as have those who work in nurseries.
“Many colleagues across the House have made that point and we will consider that.”
