As the UK Rolls Out Oxford-AtraZeneca Coronavirus Vaccine
By Maimuna Waziri
The Oxford-AtraZeneca Coronavirus vaccine rollout started in the early hours of Monday January 4 2020 at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital in Oxford, United Kingdom.
Over five hundred doses of the vaccine are made available across the country for eligible beneficiaries on Monday. 82-year-old retiree Brian Parker was the first person to receive the vaccine at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital.
On December 30 2020, the United Kingdom Regulatory Agency Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use marking another milestone achievement in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The company that produced the vaccine is called AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) and is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas – Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries, and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of Wellcome supporter and promoter of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, provided some facts about the vaccine in an interview with science media centre after the UK government approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.
According to him to start 2021 with the rollout of a second vaccine – and one which has many advantages for global supply – is a moment to be celebrated.
Even though it does not mark the end of the crisis across the globe, there may be difficult months ahead.
He said the speed of development for this and other vaccine candidates is testament to an extraordinary global research effort and investment in basic science over many years. The vaccine is particularly exciting as it can be easily administered in existing healthcare systems around the world, stored at fridge temperature and can use existing delivery mechanisms.
Dr. Farrar pointed out that the decision, independent from government or other external influence, begins to clear the path for this vaccine to be rolled out to a wider population. As normal for any vaccine, there will be a need for close and continued monitoring for safety and efficacy as it is delivered. We will also need to continue tracking and improving our understanding of how long the protection lasts and whether they can prevent transmission. This would be best achieved by a randomised trial on the timing of the second dose. We must ensure the maximum number of people are protected before and throughout the winter of 2021/2022.
Now begins the enormous task of scaling up vaccination to as many people as possible. It is much better to vaccinate as many people as possible with one dose, than half that number of people with two doses in the next few months. It remains critical that groups most at risk, such as the elderly and frontline healthcare and essential workers, are prioritised to receive the first doses, but we must not delay getting the vaccine to everyone, in this country and around the world. The dosing regimen announced today will allow a more rapid rollout.
It is also disclosed that there is no value in just vaccinating one country or one population; vaccines must be available to the whole world at the same time as promised by many politicians. Suppose we continue vaccinating only people in rich countries while allowing the virus to spread unchecked in other parts of the world. In that case, new variants will emerge in these parts of the world against which our vaccines and treatments may no longer work. And these new variants will inevitably spread across the globe. Then we are all be back to square one.
The medical doctor said: “We must keep asking ourselves ‘are we doing enough’ and responding fast to new and continued challenges, in order to save lives now and as we move into 2021. Like, everyone, I wish life could get back to normal, but the UK is in a precarious position. We must remain humble, cases are increasing and hospitals in the UK are treating more patients today with COVID than during this pandemic. This after an already incredibly very difficult year. We have to reduce transmission to prevent hospitalisations and deaths.
“Great credit and thanks go to Oxford, AstraZeneca, NIHR, CEPI, EU, Wellcome and many other organisations whose ongoing support has made this vaccine possible. We must also pay tribute to healthcare workers and global research community everywhere, working tirelessly on behalf of all of us. We owe them all our thanks and support and to be willing to take every precaution.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast the Oxford vaccine rollout was a “pivotal moment” in the fight against coronavirus, saying: “It’s going to be a tough few weeks ahead, but this is the way out.”
On Sunday, the BBC reported that more than 50,000 new Covid cases were recorded in the UK for the sixth day running, prompting Labour to call for a third national lockdown in England.
Maimuna Waziri is a staff writer
