Covid-19 vaccinations for health and care staff will begin on January 4, 2021.

The Department of Health and Social Care today announced the first batch of the world’s first proven safe and effective vaccine against coronavirus arrived last Wednesday (December 16) and is safely and securely stored at -70 degrees.

Each of the two trays received contains 975 doses of the vaccine, and under current protocols trays cannot be split. This means almost 1,000 doses must be defrosted, carefully transported and prepared for injecting into arms within a limited time frame.

A number of complex legal issues and professional authorisations from paperwork only made available by the UK in the last working week, need to be finalised.

Modelling by the department’s Vaccination Programme Board has concluded that three days are required to deliver vaccines to the first cohort of recipients and six weeks in total for the first few priority groups, depending on vaccine delivery.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said: ‘We had thought it might be possible to start vaccinating from Monday, but with a small number of critical issues outstanding, the practical option is to start on the next available date, January 4, when these issues will have been resolved. It is not sensible to start with so little margin in the immediate run up to Christmas Day, and we will not rush things during an already very busy period for our health services.’

The Minister added: ‘We have written to medically vulnerable and high priority groups within DHSC staff, care home and other social care staff, inviting them to register for a vaccine. Appointments are now being given for this cohort from January 4 2021. During the coming week, registration for all other remaining health and care staff and care home workers will begin, with the roll-out for care home residents starting thereafter.'

The Isle of Man’s vaccination programme mirrors that underway in the UK, following priority groups as set out by advisory body to the UK Government, the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisations.

Health and care staff will be vaccinated first, followed by care home residents and the over-80s, with other defined groups to follow.

People in each priority group will be contacted to register for a vaccination and residents are encouraged to respond swiftly once invited to come forward.

Individuals should not phone 111 to book a vaccination until they are invited to call.

New web pages containing information about the vaccine and the island’s delivery programme can be found at www.gov.im/covidvaccination with additional content being added on an ongoing basis.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency whose Chief Executive Dr June Raine, speaking this month, said: ‘We have carried out a rigorous scientific assessment of all the available evidence of quality, safety and effectiveness. The public’s safety has always been at the forefront of our minds – safety is our watchword.

‘Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. They save millions of lives worldwide.’