Preparations for Covid-19 vaccine are underway in Doncaster

Health bosses responded to questions on the potential jab following news pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and BioNTech programme was ‘90 per cent effective’ against infection in human trials.

Doncaster NHS CCG chief officer Jackie Pederson, said it was likely that over 80s would first get the vaccine alongside healthcare workers and residents and staff within borough care homes.

In terms of storage and questions around the temperature the vaccine needs to be when it is shipped out, Ms Pedersen said the manufacturer had to store it below -70c but once in the community, it could be kept in a fridge with a shelf life of five days.

She added that each batch would have 975 vaccines and each person who gets the jab would need two doses administered 21 to 28 days apart.

“Doctors surgeries will play a significant role in this and possibly pharmacies as well,” she said.

“In terms of storage and the vaccine having to be at -70c, as soon as it leaves the manufacturers, it doesn’t have to be stored at that temperature and it can be refrigerated and has a lifespan of about five days.

“It will be delivered in batches of 975 doses and the ask is that GPs will work collectively to deliver this and the plan at the moment is we are identifying sites to carry out vaccine take up.

“We are looking at potential sites now and aim to have identified locations next week and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group will have the final sign off to see if they are suitable.

“It’s going to be a challenge and the more you get into this, the more it’s expected of general practices so over the next week, we will know where the sites are and we will work on modelling and flow.

“We need to work out the scale of the delivery and that we can have in surgeries and identify the gap.

“We also need to look at how we vaccinate the prison population and the vulnerable and homeless population.

“The first cohort of vaccinations are likely to be those over 80, healthcare workers, care home staff and residents. They will be the first priority for the initial vaccine programme when they become available.”

READ MORE:

- Doncaster firm signs £75m deal to help produce Covid-19 vaccine with Pfizer

- Number of Covid patients in Doncaster hospitals nears 220, but bosses say cases stablising

- Emergency Nightingale hospitals could be turned into vaccination centres

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