Boris hails Covid vaccine as ‘biological jiu jitsu’ to fight ‘invisible enemy’ – and most jabbed by April
BORIS Johnson tonight hailed the Covid vaccine as a “biological jiu jitsu” to defeat the “invisible enemy” and those who needed it would be jabbed by the end of April.
The PM addressed the nation this evening on the hopeful vaccine news but urged people to “not get carried away with over optimism” just yet as it would be complicated and would take time to roll it out.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Earlier today it was confirmed that Britain is the first country in the world to give a jab the green light.
Experts deemed the Belgium-made vaccine as safe, meaning the rollout to millions of people can now begin.
About 800,000 people will be able to get access to the vaccine from next week, and millions across December.
The PM appeared tonight alongside NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens and England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam.
He admitted there were “immense logistical challenges” with delivering the vaccine – and that the NHS would contact people in the order it would be rolled out.
But thankfully, there was now no longer just a “hope” that things could get back to normal – and it was “certain”.
He said tonight: “We are no longer resting on the mere hope we can return ot normal but rather the sure and certain knowledge that we will succeed and reclaim our lives and all the things about our lives that we love.”
Yet Boris said “we have to fight on” and continue with the tougher Tier rules – which came in today after the lockdown lifted – until the vaccine can get to those who need it.
He stressed that “for the time being, we’ve got to take it that tiering is going to be a very, very important part of our campaign against Covid.”
He dodged questions on whether it would roll on past February and towards Easter – as some critics fear.
NHS boss Simon Stevens said they were gearing up for the biggest vaccination programme in the history of the health service and they were “raring to go”.
He said that the bulk of jabs for people who need it will be done by April.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van Tam revealed today he was “quite emotional” at this morning’s vaccine news.
With a very effective vaccination and high uptake, 99% of covid related mortality and deaths will be eliminated in the first phase of the vaccine rollout.
But he warned that everyone must be “patient and realistic” about how the jab is rolled out.
And he said that while they were “very hopeful” it would prevent transmission, the experts didn’t yet know it for sure.
If people fail to follow the rules now after the vaccine news, there will be a “tidal wave” of infections going into Christmas, he said.
In a call to arms for people across the nation, he begged them to take the vaccine when it comes around to them.
Professor Van Tam said in a compassionate plea: “Everyone wants social distancing to come to an end.
“If you want that dream to come true, you have to take the vaccine when it comes to you.
“Low uptake will almost certainly make restrictions run longer.”
A YouGov poll this evening found that one in five Brits were not confident at all or not very confident that Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is safe.
He suggested that Covid-19 will likely become a seasonable problem and return with a vengence every winter.
He admitted: “I don’t think we will eradicate coronavirus ever,” i think it will be with human kind forever. I think we may come to a point where corona becomes a seasonal problem.”
And he stressed that masks and hand sanitizer may be a part of life.
He also slapped down suggestions the UK is failing because the new Covid jab cannot be rolled out to care home residents first.
He hit back: “It is not a yogurt that can be taken out of the fridge and put back in – it is extremely complex to handle.”
The bulk of the doses will be dished out next year, when more come on stream and extra doses are manufactured.
The jab is the first of several that are expected to be approved in the coming weeks – including the Oxford vaccine.
The news came as:
- England’s second national lockdown ended today, plunging the nation into harsher restrictions – but opening shops, gyms and leisure centres
- 50 NHS hospitals will be ready to deliver the jab from next week
- Care home residents, NHS staff and the elderly will be among the first to receive drug
- UK has secured 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – enough to vaccinate 20 million people – with 10 million doses due in the UK by the end of the year
- The Nightingale hospitals, along with football clubs, race-courses and tennis courts, will be transformed into mass vaccine centres
- A scientist warned it may take six months to get everyone vaccinated
At PMQs earlier today the PM thanked everyone involved in the development of the vaccine and said it would help us to “reclaim our lives” again.
And he confirmed that people in care homes would be the first to get it – with the oldest residents first.
But the Government haven’t set out a time frame yet on how quickly they will get it.
MP Chris Green said vaccines should only be given out on a voluntary basis – and the PM agreed.
He said it is “not part of our culture or ambition” to force jabs onto anyone, but that people should take it if they can.
The PM tweeted this morning: “It’s fantastic that @MHRAgovuk has formally authorised the @Pfizer/@BioNTech_Group vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine will begin to be made available across the UK from next week.
“It’s the protection of vaccines that will ultimately allow us to reclaim our lives and get the economy moving again.”
The jab needs to be kept at -70C and needs two doses taken 21 days apart to be effective.
The jab – which is 95 per cent effective and developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech – is safe for use, health regulators say.
It means the UK is the first country in the world to give a vaccine the green light.
It will be deployed as “quickly as it is manufactured”, the Health Sec said.
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said that, despite the vaccine news, “we can’t lower our guard yet”.
He tweeted: “The independent regulator authorised the first vaccine for use against Covid-19.
Most read in Politics
“This is excellent news and a step towards normality. It will take until spring until the vulnerable population who wish to are fully vaccinated. We can’t lower our guard yet.”
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster said the vaccine approval is an early “Christmas present”.