Hospitals across the East preparing for arrival of coronavirus vaccine
Hospitals across the East of England are preparing to begin the first phase of the "largest scale vaccination campaign" in the UK's history.
The first vaccines will arrive at hospitals on Monday, ahead of the first jabs being given on Tuesday, which Health Secretary Matt Hancock has dubbed "V-Day".
Frontline health staff, people aged over 80 and care home workers will be first to get the Pfizer vaccine from Monday.
"Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country's history from Tuesday", Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said.
"The first tranche of vaccine deliveries will be landing at hospitals by Monday in readiness.
"The NHS has a strong record of delivering large scale vaccination programmes - from the flu jab, HPV vaccine and lifesaving MMR jabs - hardworking staff will once again rise to the challenge to protect the most vulnerable people from this awful disease."
The UK is the first country in the world to approve a Covid vaccine.
Fifty hospitals in England have been initially chosen to serve as "hubs" for administering the vaccine including the following Trusts in the East:
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
The West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock told The Sunday Telegraph that he "can't wait" to scrap the three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions and "get back to living by mutual respect and personal responsibility, not laws set in parliament".
The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at around -70C and moved carefully, so at first it will only be administered from 50 specific hospital "hubs".
NHS England says as more doses of the vaccine arrive more hubs will be set up.