Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes an update on the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic during a virtual press conference inside 10 Downing Street on March 18, 2021 in London, England.
Tolga Akmen – Piscina WPA | Getty Images
LONDON – On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will receive on Friday the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, with the aim of reassuring the public that the vaccine is safe and effective.
Johnson, 56, has urged other people to inoculate themselves against Covid-19, citing data from the UK’s independent drug regulator that shows the benefits far outweigh the risks.
A group of countries around the world had suspended the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure following reports of blood clots in some vaccinated people. Health experts harshly criticized the measure, citing a lack of data, while analysts expressed concern about the impact on vaccine uptake as the virus continues to spread.
UK and EU regulators have said there is no evidence that the Covid vaccine has caused blood clots. The World Health Organization also stated that the benefits of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risks and had recommended that vaccinations be continued.
At a Downing Street conference on Thursday, Johnson said the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was safe, but “what’s not safe is catching Covid, which is why it’s so important that everyone gets the spikes as soon as it’s our turn.”
The UK leader was treated in hospital by Covid-19 in April last year and spent days in an intensive care unit.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex is also expected to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday.
Vaccine supplies
Germany, France, Italy and Spain are some of the Europeans who claim they will use the vaccine again after the European drug regulator declared it safe and effective. Indonesia, which had previously delayed administration of the shot, said Friday it had approved the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
However, Norway, Sweden and Denmark have said they will continue to stop using the vaccine while conducting their own independent reviews.
The UK, which did not stop the launch of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, said delays in supplying vaccines next month would not affect England’s roadmap out of blockade.
A health worker has a box of the AstraZeneneca vaccine at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Chaiwat Subprasom | Images SOUP | LightRocket via Getty Images
The National Health Service had warned of a “significant reduction” in the weekly supply of Covid vaccines to England next month, after fewer doses had arrived than initially expected from India.
Johnson said there was “no change” in the government’s plan to ease restrictive public health measures, and insisted the roadmap was “on track” despite an unexpected drop in vaccine supply.
To date, more than 4.2 million people have contracted Covid in the UK, with 126,163 deaths, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.