Britain aims to complete “tens of millions” of Covid-19 vaccinations in the next three months, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday.
Speaking to the BBC, Johnson said: “We hope we can make tens of millions [of Covid-19 vaccines] in the next three months, I can definitely give you that figure, “he added.
Johnson said this strategy is based on three vaccines, the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine and the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccines – both approved in the UK – and the Moderna vaccine which would be ready for use “soon”.
The Prime Minister, echoing what was said in October last year, said: “I thought things would be better by spring. I stick to it. “
Asked about the number of doses in the Oxford / AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which was approved by British regulators on Wednesday, Johnson said 530,000 doses would be ready to be inoculated on Monday, in addition to “a million or so” Pfizer / BioNTechCovid -19 vaccine already distributed.
Earlier on Sunday, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Twitter that the country had administered 1 million Pfizer / BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines, saying that “the end is in sight”.
The United Kingdom is reviewing the vaccine instructions: Last week, UK chief physicians issued revised advice on the recommended dose interval for the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
While UK regulators have previously recommended that a second dose of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine be given three weeks after the first dose, British doctors this week have recommended that it be given 3 to 12 weeks after the first dose. . Similarly, the second dose of the newly approved Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK can be given 4-12 weeks after the first, as recommended.
In a letter to health professionals, the chief doctors defended their decision to extend the time period for patients waiting to receive the second dose of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, saying on Thursday that the decision was made based on the assessed balance of risks and benefits.
The British Medical Association said the move was “extremely unfair” to thousands of at-risk patients across the country.
Pfizer says it has no data to show that a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine would provide protection against the disease after more than 21 days.