doctors across the uk will begin the
rollout of half a million doses
of the oxford coronavirus vaccine but
there are questions over the speed at
which those most at risk across the
country will receive their jabs
and concerns over the government's
decision to delay offering the public
second doses of both the oxford and
pfizer vaccines
here's our science editor david shulman
it began with a blaze of publicity and
now the vaccination program moves upper
gear
to try to protect tens of millions of
people now that a second type of vaccine
is about to be deployed i hear from
particularly my general practice
colleagues up and down the country that
they are raring to go
they're really really busy but they also
know that this is the best thing that
they can do to protect their patients
so as supply allows more sites will be
able to offer the vaccine and that's
exactly what we need to aim for
the big hope is the oxford astrazeneca
vaccine
it's easy to handle it doesn't need to
be stored in extreme cold
and the first doses are due to be given
tomorrow
so in the coming months how will this
mass program take shape
well the government's ambition is that
by easter that's april the 4th
to have reached something like 30
million people they're the most at risk
over 50s health and care workers and
adults with vulnerabilities
that involves around 2 million
injections
every week and for many people that'll
be their first dose
only all of this depends on two key
factors
production can it be ramped up
sufficiently and also
delivery will it be smooth in this
massive operation
this comes as government advisors say
it's better to delay
giving second doses so that more people
can quickly get a first dose
and at least have some protection but
pfizer says this idea
hasn't been tested for its vaccine and
some leading scientists want more
research
i think it's so important that with this
decision that's been made
and that there are actually scientific
studies that go on to
look at the effect of delaying the
second dose you know i personally think
that it may well produce as good or
better an immune response but we really
need to study it
sites like this offer hope of a way out
of the pandemic
the challenge now is making sure the
vaccines get used as effectively as
possible
david shockman bbc news