Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed told the coronavirus vaccine press briefing from Downing Street that the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart. He stated that there is partial immunity after the first dose of the vaccine but protection is at its strongest one week after the second dose has been received.
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed said: “The vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart and from that data presented to us people will be immune 7 days after the second dose.
“Partial immunity does occur after the first dose and we can see some protection occurring after day 12 of the first dose.
“But the best immunity is 7 days after the second dose.”
On Wednesday morning the Government announced that the UK will become the first nation to roll out a coronavirus vaccine.
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said regarding the Pfizer vaccine: “The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.
“This follows months of rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA who have concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.”
On BBC Breakfast this morning, Matt Hancock issued a triumphant claim that everybody in Britain will have a summer they can enjoy following the Pfizer vaccine breakthrough.
The Health Secretary told the BBC that help is on its way and 2021 is going to be a much better year for Britain.
“This will take time to roll out, you have got to have those 21 days in between the jabs.
“We have got to get this rolled out at the speed it can be manufactured but I am confident now with the news today that from spring, from Easter onwards things are going to be better.
“We are going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy.”
He added: “Between now and then we have got to hold our resolve.”
