It has been widely reported this last week that doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccines are being thrown away because people are not keeping appointments to have them administered.
The vaccine must be kept at –70C when in storage and, once defrosted, can only be used over a limited time period so if people do not turn up to appointments doses of vaccine are having to be thrown away.
NHS chief executive Simon Stevens speaking on the BBC said “The guidance from the chief medical officer and from the NHS medical director is crystal clear that every last drop of vaccine should be used,”
“In fact, our GPs and vaccinators are doing a fantastic job and, in many cases, the vials of the vaccine they’re getting, they’re able to get six doses out of the originally described five dose vial.
“And what has been said is that if, at the end of your vaccination session you’ve got a few left, then please have a reserve list of staff and a high risk patients, per the four groups who are currently supposed to be getting the vaccine, so that they can be vaccinated at short notice.
Mr Stevens also confirmed the NHS is currently “vaccinating four times faster than people are newly catching coronavirus”.
“But that ratio will only be able to hold the line if people continue to do the right thing and prevent the transmission of coronavirus. If we can do that then we can see a way to a much better future.”
