It will be the largest mass vaccination programme ever planned.

And ’there is an absolute need to get this right from the outset,’ said member for health Ann Corlett told the House of Keys.

Speaking in the absence of Health Minister David Ashford, Mrs Corlett said the island would receive sufficient vaccines to inoculate the whole of the island’s over-18 population.

This morning (Wednesday) UK regulatory agency, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority, announced the approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for emergency use.

The island will receive 0.13% of the total ordered by the UK and this could potentially amount to some 447,000 doses of up to seven different vaccines, the Key were told.

’That’s the amount we could take, not necessarily the amount we would take,’ said Mrs Corlett told MHKs.

But she said she could not give a date when the roll-out of the vaccination programme would begin as this would depend on regulatory approval being given.

’However, it is envisaged roll-out will commence shortly after approvals and vaccines are received on the island,’ she said.

She estimated the roll-out would take 12 months to complete. Public health director Dr Henrietta Ewart has previously said it would take four to six months.

’There needs to be careful stage by stage planning,’ said Mrs Corlett.

She said the vaccines must be shipped in such a way to ensure temperature requirements are maintained. The Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius.

Work is under way to assess the numbers and availability of suitably-trained and qualified vaccinators. Vaccine specific training will be given.

Bill Shimmins (Middle) pointed out Guernsey and Jersey have both requisitioned large halls to set up major vaccination centres.

’Options are being looked at. And the options are whether we deliver this centrally or regionally and that actually depends on the vaccine itself,’ replied Mrs Corlett.

’It’s difficult to say how many staff we are going to need. We need to make a call out for retired staff, locum staff, bank staff that are able to give the vaccine,’ she added.

Mrs Corlett said there were indemnity restrictions surrounding who is able to give the vaccine. ’We need to make sure there is no liability,’ she said.

Education Minister and former GP Dr Alex Allinson said the most likely scenario would be the island receiving various vaccines in small tranches.

Mrs Corlett said residents and staff in care homes will be the first priority to get the vaccine and the island’s roll-out will closely follow the priority groups outlined by the UK.

’Work is currently underway to determine the best methodology of delivery, assessing the percentage of the population falling within each priority group and the geographical spread of each grouping,’ she said.

’We need to manage expectations here. This isn’t going to be rolled out next week, it’s probably going to be rolled out probably over the next 12 months.’