A Shot In The Arm

Up to five million a week to get vaccine in huge logistic challenge& R-number falling as Government thrashes out Christmas plans

- Martin Bagot Health Editor And Ben Glaze

A RETURN to normality may be on the horizon as the NHS plans to make a Covid jab available to everyone by early April.

And the most vulnerable age group could start to get the vaccine by mid-December if supplies are ready.

It relies on Government pulling off an unprecedented logistical effort.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told yesterday’s No10 briefing he was “more and more confident” of a safe return to freedom by the spring.

The news came on the day Government advisers said the outbreak may finally be shrinking.

The R-value – the number of people each new case infects – is officially between 1 and 1.1, down from between 1 and 1.2 the previous week.

The North West was the only area now below 1, at between 0.8 and 1.

But Government scientists SAGE went further saying they are “not confident R is above 1 in England” but that data will not reflect that yet.

The national Covid-19 Infection Survey also estimates that new cases in England are falling. NHS England’s planning document assumes a 75% uptake of vaccine and says up to five million will get the jab every week.

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