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Matt Hancock Hails 'Historic Moment' As New Covid Vaccine Details Revealed

The health secretary said efforts are being made to ensure care home residents receive the coronavirus vaccine “as soon as possible”, as dozens of hospital hubs prepare for the start of the biggest immunisation programme in history.

People aged 80 and over, as well as care home workers, will be first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine – typically delivered by an injection in the shoulder – along with NHS workers who are at higher risk.

But there is still no guaranteed date for when care home residents will be vaccinated despite them being at the top of the priority list, with Matt Hancock saying there are “significant challenges”.

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Logistical issues mean there are difficulties in getting the jab to residents, as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine needs to be stored at minus 70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before being used.

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Hancock said: “This coming week will be an historic moment as we begin vaccination against Covid-19.

“We are prioritising the most vulnerable first, and over-80s, care home staff and NHS colleagues will all be among the first to receive the vaccines.

“We are doing everything we can to make sure we can overcome significant challenges to vaccinate care home residents as soon as possible too.

“I urge everybody to play their part to suppress this virus and follow the local restrictions to protect the NHS while they carry out this crucial work.”

NHS England said NHS staff were working through the weekend to prepare for the launch of the programme with the first vaccinations happening from Tuesday.

There are 50 hubs in the first wave, with more hospitals starting to vaccinate over the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up.

NHS England have now officially confirmed the first 50 hubs, listed in full here:

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