The NHS is to provide GPs an extra £10 for every care home resident they are able to vaccinate against Covid by the end of January in an accelerated drive to protect the most vulnerable.
The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in health service history, is being expanded after regulators approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday.
The logistical challenges of using the Pfizer vaccine, which was the first to be approved by regulators, make it difficult to use in care homes.
The vaccine needs to be kept at -70 degrees until it is ready to be used and can only be moved a limited number of times.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca jab can be kept at fridge temperature and transported more easily, making it easier to get to care home residents.
The £10 per jab additional funding for GPs to prioritise them is expected to see the majority of care home residents vaccinated by the end of January and all those who have not had the jab are expected to have an appointment by then.
