What the NHS has termed the largest-ever vaccine rollout in UK history will begin on Tuesday, the Department of Health has said.
Frontline health staff, people over the age of 80 and care home workers will be first to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
In England, 50 hospitals have been initially chosen to serve as hubs for administering the vaccine.
Coronavirus: NHS to begin vaccine rollout this week https://t.co/z36vSU2UtF
— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) December 6, 2020
Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the start of the vaccination scheme as "a historic moment".
"I urge everybody to play their part to suppress this virus and follow the local restrictions to protect the NHS while they carry out this crucial work," he said.
Refrigerated containers holding the vaccine doses have been arriving in the UK from Belgium, and are being prepared to be moved from secure locations to the hospitals.
Prof Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said despite "huge complexities", the first doses would arrive at hospitals on Monday, to be ready to administer from Tuesday.
"The NHS has a strong record of delivering large scale vaccination programmes - from the flu jab, HPV vaccine and lifesaving MMR jabs," he said.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will also begin their vaccination programmes from hospitals on Tuesday.
The first consignment of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine arrived in the UK last Thursday.
About 800,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to be available in the UK from next week.
So far the government has ordered a total of 40m doses - enough to vaccinate 20m people, with two shots each, 21 days apart.
With limited quantities initially available, elderly people who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, as well as those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the jab.
Others over the age of 80 will be invited to attend the hospital "hubs" to receive a jab, and care home providers will be able to book their staff into vaccination clinics.
Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from the virus.
Latest Stories
-
Paris Olympic hopes hang in the balance as Ghana’s 4×100 relay team drops baton at World Relays
4 hours -
Western Regional House of Chiefs commends Bawumia for his humility and respect for traditional authorities
5 hours -
#JustTurned18: First-time voters critical to deciding 2024 presidential election
6 hours -
Video: EC lied that the cost per voter in 2020 was $7.7; it was $12.5 – Bright Simons
6 hours -
Former IGP passes on
6 hours -
Ejisu by-election: Kwadaso MP gave money to EC officials out of goodwill – Ahiagbah
7 hours -
Millennium City: Land owner breaks silence on fatal shooting of soldier
7 hours -
Photos of 2024 Aboakyer Festival
7 hours -
#JustTurned18: I now have an opportunity to use my thumb to bring someone into power – Excited prospective voters
8 hours -
OSP acted as a whistleblower transferring Cecilia Dapaah’s case to EOCO – Sammy Darko
8 hours -
IMF calls for tariff adjustment for energy sector cost recovery
8 hours -
Samson’s Take: Journalists, block the pretentious idiots
9 hours -
Real Madrid crowned LaLiga champions after Barcelona’s defeat at Girona
10 hours -
Daniel Otting Awuah elected SRC President of Ghana School of Law
11 hours -
Lawrence Ati-Zigi signs St. Gallen contract extension
11 hours