Birmingham leaders warn vaccine supply is running out

January 7, 2021: Birmingham might face the shortage of the covid-19 vaccines soon as the stocks run low and the city hasn’t received the Oxford jab yet, local leaders say.

Labour and Conservative politicians say doses of the Pfizer vaccine are due to run out on Friday with “no clarity” when further supplies will arrive.

On Thursday, The Oxford vaccine was rolled out to English GPs as part of the NHS’s most significant vaccination effort.

There is an aim to vaccinate 13 million people in the top four priority groups by mid-February, the point at which England’s lockdown could be eased.

A further 1,041 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded alongside an additional 62,322 new cases on Wednesday.

1.3 million people in the UK had been vaccinated so far, said Prime Minister Borris Johnson.

Birmingham is home to 1.1 million people, and some areas have recorded a 77.6% rise in total coronavirus cases in the past week, according to government data.

England’s vaccination program is described as the biggest in NHS history, to offer jabs to most care home residents mid-February.

More than 700 local vaccination sites will administer jabs, with the government announcing a further seven mass vaccination sites across England.

Another 100 new hospital sites, 180 GP-led sites, and a pilot scheme involving local pharmacies will open this week.

Meanwhile, nearly 19,981-second doses of the first approved Pfizer/BioNTech jab in the UK were administered between December 29 and January 3, NHS England said.

All of the UK is now under strict virus curbs, with Wales, Northern Ireland, and most of Scotland also in lockdown, and vaccinations are progressing across the devolved nations.