Covid-19: Vaccine Roll-out

Answer from Matthew Hancock

Everybody will be able to get a jab locally. Across England, a local vaccination centre will be available within 10 miles of where everyone lives. For the vast majority—over 95%—this will be a fixed site; for more rural areas, there will be mobile units. The centre at John Smith's stadium in Huddersfield is going to open in the next couple of weeks.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

We distribute vaccine supplies based on population according to the Barnett formula. A fair population share is available to the Scottish NHS, and it is for the NHS in Scotland to ensure that each jab gets into somebody's arm.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

Small or large, rural or urban, we need GPs to vaccinate right across the country. We are organising it through primary care networks, covering between 30,000 and 50,000 patients, ensuring each group contributes some staff to the vaccination team.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

The kit will be delivered on time—over 98% of vaccines have been delivered on time. I will get back to the hon. Gentleman and make sure that the Minister for covid vaccine deployment gets back with precise details of when the kit will arrive at his local hospital.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

We have been working since the summer to ensure that some sites are ready to be vaccination centres. We are open to further offers but it is important for infection control reasons to keep testing and vaccine sites separate. The specific offer should be raised with the Minister responsible for vaccine deployment.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

It is so important to get the vaccine to care homes. Over a quarter of care home residents have now received their first dose of the vaccine, and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is much easier to get to care homes by taking the vaccine to the care home rather than opening new centres. People in Hibaldstow, Scawby, Kirton in Lindsey, Messingham and throughout the Scunthorpe constituency will be within 10 miles of a vaccination centre.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

Yes, I want to thank shop workers in essential shops who have had to be there for all of us even in these difficult times when the virus is widely spread. We will look very carefully at those professions that will need to be prioritised in phase 2 of the prioritisation programme. We will also look at teachers, police and others but we will look at shop workers and make those decisions based on data.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

I will absolutely look at those two suggestions. I also remind my hon. Friend, all of his constituents and all those across the Bradford district that there are the large-scale vaccination centres but there is also the primary care-based delivery happening right across the country.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

Clearly, the IT underpinnings of this project are critical. The Pinnacle system is working well but we are constantly monitoring it to make sure that it supports the roll-out of the vaccine.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

We do now provide daily statistics on the roll-out of the vaccine and we will provide more data as the system matures and the roll-out advances. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise the challenges that the NHS is facing today. Although the roll-out of the vaccine is proceeding well and we are on track to hit targets, we must stress following rules to control this virus and reduce pressures on the NHS.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

There are very significant pressures on the NHS. The limitation is not the supply of oxygen itself; it is the ability to get oxygen through physical oxygen supply systems in hospitals. As we have a national health service, if a hospital cannot put more pressure on its oxygen system, people will be moved to a different location—locally or across the country—to ensure they receive treatment.

Answer from Matthew Hancock

That is not quite right. I am glad to report that care home residents have been receiving the Pfizer jab. That is harder—logistically more difficult. Looking at the total roll-out of the programme, I am delighted that, as the hon. Lady says, over a quarter of people who are residents in care homes are now able to get the jab, and that number is rising sharply.