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* Vaccine minister upbeat about hitting targets.
* PM Johnson aims to inoculate all adults by end July
* Oxford vaccinologist: need to be ready for autumn campaign
(Adds quotes, detail)
By Alistair Smout
LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Britain said on Wednesday it was
confident in manufacturers' timely supply of COVID-19 vaccines
to keep fuelling one of the world's fastest rollouts despite a
slowdown this week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accelerated the UK's
vaccine rollout, aiming to give all adults a first dose by the
end of July. But on Monday it recorded the lowest number of
first doses given since daily figures were first reported.
"We have real confidence in our supply and our visibility of
supply," vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi told
lawmakers, saying the government talked to manufacturers
near-daily.
"We're very confident that we can meet those targets,
because we've got enough line of sight of our deliveries."
Johnson has outlined a plan to ease England's lockdown,
assuming a successful vaccine rollout.
Health Minister Matt Hancock had said this week would be
quieter for vaccinations due to uneven supply schedules, but he
expected supplies to increase next month.
Britain is rolling out shots developed by Pfizer/BioNTech
and Oxford/AstraZeneca, though Johnson has said
he is concerned about the possibility of "vaccine-busting"
coronavirus variants.
Pfizer and AstraZeneca have said that both vaccines offer
some protection again all current variants, and AstraZeneca has
said it hopes the next generation of vaccine will be ready this
year if needed.
"We need to be prepared if there is a need for an autumn
vaccination campaign, and if that does need to be with a new
version of the vaccine," Oxford vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert
told lawmakers.
"Anything can happen, viruses are infinitely able to mutate,
but currently I think the signs are good that we won't see a
sudden escape from the vaccine with a virus that is very well
able to circulate."
Britain has the fifth highest number of COVID-19 deaths
globally, at over 120,000, and has reported more than 4 million
cases. It has given nearly 18 million people a first dose of
COVID-19 vaccine, around a third of its adult population.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Estelle Shirbon and
Andrew Cawthorne)
