GP surgeries were not originally planned to be the main vaccinators when it turned out that Pfizer had so many logistics/storage issues. So they had to get the big sites up and running. Then Astra Zeneca came along and it became easier for practices to store and administer as well as pharmacies. So it was down to the vaccine characteristics. This was all being planned before vaccines were even approved so there’s no chance it will be perfect but it’s pretty damn good given the speed it’s been rolled out.
Anyway I thought it was “vaccine tzar” Nadhim Zahawi who was doing all the great work so not sure this makes a shred of difference. Taking credit where someone has already put everything in place?
Those bastards in Italy have banned the export of 250000 AstraZenica doses bound for Australia and now France are threatening bans.
We start distributing doses made here middle of the month but this will slow down our already slow vaccine program.
RAAF bombers are on their way.
It seems to me that EU countries are being a bit childish about vaccines! They were saying it wasn’t suitable for older people and now they are holding supplies that were being sent to Australia!
Thank god that Australia are controlling this virus much better than Italy have!
The worst bit about the refusal to export vaccines is that there is a glut of the AZ one across the EU because the EU themselves were spreading false stories about it not being so effective, the natural result being that EU citizens are refusing the AstraZeneca vaccine.
What did they expect when Macron and Merckel both said they would not have it and stories were manufactured to suggest that it was ineffective?
Now is too late to persuade the populace that all of a sudden it’s a good vaccine.
This is from under a week ago:
"The German health ministry said last week that it had used just 15 per cent of the AstraZeneca doses it has received as people across the country refuse the jab. In Saxony, the German Red Cross told the news programme ZDF Heute that only 20 to 30 appointments were being booked for AstraZeneca jabs daily in the state.
Across Europe, a similar story is playing out. France had issued just 16 per cent of its AstraZeneca doses as of 25 February, Italy a fifth and Spain a third. By contrast, uptake of the Pfizer jab hovers around 80 per cent, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, an EU agency. "
I could gloat about EU incompetence here but I won’t because sadly it is the millions of ordinary EU citizens that will pay for the actions of such incompetence, many with their very lives.
It gets worse because the EU are asking the USA to allow exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
:shock:
I don’t know about you but if I was in AstraZeneca’s position in the USA I would be saying something along the lines of “of course we will - after we’ve supplied Australia and all the other places that you won’t let us export them to from our EU manufacturing sites and if we have any left by then”.
The EU leaders are showing just how pathetic they can be.
I hope the world is watching and taking note.
I wonder whether we’ll ever see a unified Commonwealth directly opposing the EU Empire.
If so, I wonder on whose side America would come down!
Good Post Zaphod!
I have nothing against EU residents, who deserve to get their vaccinations, but I do think EU politicians are showing themselves to be like children. Did somebody from Austarlia say " I think the UK were right in leaving the EU" or were they just upset that Australia is doing a better job of controlling the virus and better at ordering the vaccine? 
From all the reports I am hearing, I get the impression the EU were trying to show how smart they were at dealing with a pandemic. Sadly for their people it seems they weren’t that smart!
I thought it was me,but Van Tam has confirmed that the vaccination
rate HAS slowed from over 300,000 A day to under 200,000 a day !!although this is a significant drop, he thinks we shall still reach our
targets if supplies hold fast and don’t drop further ??
So it ain’t over till the the fat lady sings ??
This suggests that vaccine production cannot keep up now that
more countries are actually ordering the stuff unless we accept
the vaccines from a wider supply base ??
Donkeyman!Trouble is though that EU has banned the export of a vaccine that
EU citizens don’t want to use Brucy??
So now they don’t want anybody to use it either??
I think you should redirect your bombers from Italy to Brussels !!
Donkeyman!
A vaccine will have quite a few inputs from many different countries. Even if we produce it ourselves we will struggle if there is a shortage of one input as was the case with the glass phials etc. There was originally a shortage of lipid nanoparticles from Canada back when the Pfizer was the only one around. So controlling everything just isn’t possible with such a complex product.
Returning back to those of us here who have had our first Vaccination, has anyone had their second vac yet or had notification of the date of their next vac?
It’s been 8 weeks since I had mine.
Oooer! Isn’t that what l just said Annie ??
Donkeyman!
No notification yet for my second, but I was told it would be around 23 April.
On the other hand, Marge has just had an offer and arranged her first vaccination for 23 March and has also managed to book her second one for 9 June.
She doesn’t know which vaccine it will be yet.
I did the same JBR so already have an appointment for 27th April at 10am!
I’m due my next one on Friday mags…
I was informed when I got my first vaccine that my second one was on the 27th March, exactly 10 weeks later.
That will be interesting Primus, I look forward to hearing how it goes. 
That’s not too far away Scot, I hope all goes well for you too. 
Van Tam also said towards the end of February that manufacturing/supply issues meant that this would happen and he explained why too.
It has also been said that we would soon see the numbers ramp up to even higher levels than those seen previously as production recovers and as new suppliers begin production.
“NHS officials have told GPs to prepare for a slow-down in vaccinations in the week beginning 8 March - but deliveries the week after will rise sharply to around double the level seen in the first week of this month.”
I have read in the paper this morning that ‘our friends’ in the EU are banning exports of the AZ vaccine from Holland to the UK. People, naturally, seem to be up in arms about it, but surely don’t we make our own AZ vaccine in this country? After all, we developed it.
Why should we be bothered about the EU not sending us theirs?