UK orders 60m Pfizer shots for autumn boosters

The UK has put in an order for a further 60 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine as it hopes to prepare for a wave of booster shots needed in the Autumn months as more and more people receive their first vaccine.

Renewed interest in ensuring the nation has enough jabs has come as concern arises over new disease variants in which vaccines may prove less effective.

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“We have a clear route out of this crisis but this is no time for complacency," health secretary Matt Hancock said at a Downing Street press conference. "It’s a time for caution – so we can keep the virus under control while we take steps back to normal life," he added.

Hancock made the announcement on Wednesday with an affirmation that the UK's vaccination programme was still working is "bringing back our freedom," revealing the biggest current threat to this progress is the newer variants.

He added: “We’re working on our plans for booster shots, which are the best way to keep us safe and free while we get this disease under control across the whole world.”

Pfizer's vaccine has shown to be effective against newer strains of the virus, such as the one discovered in the UK.

Many of the vaccine key players, such as Moderna and AstraZeneca, have already conducted clinical trials and amendments to vaccine formulae in order to help immunise against these new variants.

As of April 29, a little under 34 million people - 64% of adults - in the UK have received at least one vaccination with 13.5 million having received both jabs.

Dr Mary Ramsay from Public Health England has warned that immunisation wanes at a far slower rate than previously expected, presenting new evidence to MPs on Wednesday.

She said: “We think and we assume and we will be able to show, I hope, that those will extend protection for several months if not potentially years. It will be difficult to decide when the best time to boost is but there’s no point boosting if you’re already protected,”

This may mean booster shots could be delayed for many people and others may not be needed at all.

Further Public Health England data also shows that at least one vaccine per household reduces transmission rates of coronavirus by half.

Hancock said this constitutes concrete evidence as to the efficacy of vaccines.

He said the current plans for more vaccines are not for the purpose of speeding up the rollout of the vaccines, rather acting as an insurance policy to ensure the country has enough jabs.

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There are currently no plans as to a priority system for these booster shots, although it has been revealed it is the same type of vaccine that has seen prior rollout in the UK. However, it is unknown whether it will need to be tweaked in order to tackle the new variants.

However, due to booster shots standing to protect against news variants, it would be logical to assume they are being saved for the most vulnerable in society.

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