Vaccine Rollout being prepared to start in December

[RedToothBrush]

First the cavets.

Its 50:50 whether it will indeed be ready.

Priority given to over 85s and front line workers first.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/breaking-news/covid-vaccine-des-set-to-be-announced-imminently-for-december-start/
Exclusive: Covid vaccine DES set to be announced imminently for December start

Exclusive A new DES is set to be announced imminently for practices and PCNs to start administering a Covid vaccine from the beginning of December, Pulse understands.

Practices and PCNs will be asked to prepare to give the vaccine to over 85s and front line workers from the start of December, numerous sources have confirmed to Pulse.

There are currently two vaccines that are being prepared, with one requiring two shots and needing to be kept at minus 70 degrees.

Alongside GPs and PCNs, there will be teams delivering it to care homes, and at-scale delivery centres.

And

It remains unclear exactly which vaccines will be administered, but Pfizer’s vaccine in development has to be kept at minus 70 degrees, while the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was shown to be more effective when administered in two doses.

It was going well until-

There is also no indication as to the efficacy of any vaccine, and the chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance has been keen to play down the chances of an effective vaccine.

Given the drip-drip of guarded 'good news' about the vaccines in the last couple of weeks I think it's fair to presume that the government know at least one of the vaccines is ready to go.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8910093/amp/GPs-told-prepare-jabs-85s-frontline-medics-weeks.html?__twitter_impression=true
Is a Covid-19 vaccine coming at the start of December? GPs are 'told to prepare to give jabs to over-85s and frontline medics within weeks'

Theres a little more information in this too.

With more cavets

Yes I too have noticed the people in 'charge' have been using more positive language when talking about the vaccines.
I'm listening to a really good podcast from the vaccine task force which is really good if anyone is interested.

@Cuddling57

Yes please! Can you post a link? Thanks!

Why don't they learn anything. It makes no sense to vaccinate care home residents first as they are effectively isolated from society in any case and isolating staff will be both more effective and also use less resources.

@StatisticalSense

Why don't they learn anything. It makes no sense to vaccinate care home residents first as they are effectively isolated from society in any case and isolating staff will be both more effective and also use less resources.

Eh? Surely care residents should be first. They are the most vulnerable. Presumably can do the residents and staff at same time, an injection takes 2 mins. Anyway it is really excellent news. Well done to all involved. Light at end of tunnel

Well they'll know that they (Pfizer and Astra zenneca ) are near their magic numbers. And then they get their first look. Which could be positive or not. So they have to get ready in case it's positive.

The Daily Mail article, quoting Chief executive Glen Burley:

The vaccine is expected to be given in two doses, 28 days apart.' He also urged his colleagues to ensure they had the flu jab by the end of November so that they could qualify for the Covid-19 vaccine

'so they could qualify for the Covid-19 vaccine' ???

So they won't give staff the Covid vaccine if they haven't had a flu shot? Or am I misunderstanding this?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is a DES?

@mrshonda

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is a DES?

I'm wondering that too

@CrunchyCarrot

The Daily Mail article, quoting Chief executive Glen Burley:

The vaccine is expected to be given in two doses, 28 days apart.' He also urged his colleagues to ensure they had the flu jab by the end of November so that they could qualify for the Covid-19 vaccine

'so they could qualify for the Covid-19 vaccine' ???

So they won't give staff the Covid vaccine if they haven't had a flu shot? Or am I misunderstanding this?

I think it's because the two vaccines need to be separate for medical reasons? Not sinister reasons?

@CrunchyCarrot

So they won't give staff the Covid vaccine if they haven't had a flu shot? Or am I misunderstanding this?

I’ve read somewhere that you need a gap between having the flu vaccine and any other - a month, I think. Don’t know why.

It's all systems go in relation to that December date. I personally know someone who's just been told this and to start work on the IT system supporting it (and yes, it's achievable in 4 weeks).

DES = 'directed enhanced service'

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is a DES?

"Pulse reported that GPs will receive a 'directed enhanced service' (DES) from next week which sets out how they deliver a service above their usual contract."

[quote PuzzledObserver]@CrunchyCarrot

So they won't give staff the Covid vaccine if they haven't had a flu shot? Or am I misunderstanding this?

I’ve read somewhere that you need a gap between having the flu vaccine and any other - a month, I think. Don’t know why.[/quote]
Yes, it’s the same with many vaccines that need to be given either on the same day or a minimum of a month later. So if someone delays their flu vaccine, it could mean a delay in being given the covid vaccine.

@RedToothBrush

DES = 'directed enhanced service'

Thank you

This is positive news. I'm not expecting a silver bullet but I finally see a glimmer of hope that things will improve.

Dear God,I hope this is true 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

Will the vaccines a) prevent people from catching it, or, b) just reduce symptoms once people catch it?

@BenchHench

Will the vaccines a) prevent people from catching it, or, b) just reduce symptoms once people catch it?

Either works for me,though I've read more likely to reduce severity. As a first generation vaccine,I'll take that as ecv,as feel it just takes the edge of the risk,then I can get by more with the basic hand washing, masks, distancing.

How common is it that vaccines would need to be kept at minus 70 degrees? That sounds very, very cold to me. Just wondering about whether the infrastructure would be in place for mass rollout of that one or whether they'd need a mass rollout of freezers first!!

@BenchHench

Will the vaccines a) prevent people from catching it, or, b) just reduce symptoms once people catch it?

Not yet clear

@110APiccadilly

How common is it that vaccines would need to be kept at minus 70 degrees? That sounds very, very cold to me. Just wondering about whether the infrastructure would be in place for mass rollout of that one or whether they'd need a mass rollout of freezers first!!

I wondered that. How can you keep something at -70? I think supermarket freezers are around -25. Defrost before injecting presumably!