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LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Britain will see a significant
reduction in the amount of COVID-19 vaccines available from
March 29 due to a cut in manufacturing supply, it said on
Wednesday, in a setback to one of the fastest rollouts in the
world.
Britain is on track to have given a first COVID-19 shot to
half of all adults in the next few days and passed 25 million
first shots on Wednesday.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said supply often fluctuated
but the country remained on track to have given vaccines to
priority groups by April 15 and all adults by the end of July.
"Vaccine supply is always lumpy and we regularly send out
technical letters to the NHS to explain the ups and downs of the
supply over the future weeks, and what you're referring to is a
standard one of those letters," Hancock told reporters.
A letter sent around to the state-run health service said
there would be a "significant reduction in weekly supply
available from manufacturers beginning in week commencing 29
March, meaning volumes for first doses will be significantly
constrained".
"They now currently predict this will continue for a
four-week period, as a result of reductions in national inbound
vaccines supply."
Hancock did not say why there would be such a reduction.
Brussels threatened on Wednesday to ban exports of COVID-19
vaccines to Britain to safeguard scarce doses for its own
citizens as it aired frustration over a lack of deliveries
moving from AstraZeneca in Britain to Europe.
The political editor of the BBC reported however that the
reduction was linked to fewer vaccines being available from
AstraZeneca than expected.
The letter said for the four-week period it would focus on
making sure all those in the most vulnerable categories had
received their first shot, and giving second vaccines to those
who have already received their first.
(Reporting by Michael Holden and Alistair Smout; Editing by
Kate Holton)
