Covid: Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine arrives in Jersey

The first boxes containing the Covid-19 vaccine arrived on Tuesday

A Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Jersey ahead of the first vaccinations next week.

The initial batch of just under 1,000 doses will be given to care home residents as a first priority, the government said.

The Minister for Health and Social Services Deputy Richard Renouf described it as a "momentous day".

A team of one doctor and several nurses are expected to administer the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines on Monday.

Care home residents have been required to shield since Tuesday, to avoid falling ill ahead of their jabs.

About 2,500 care home staff are due to receive their jabs at the Covid-19 vaccination centre near Fort Regent from 21 December.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine needs to be kept at an extremely low temperature, about -70C

Vaccine programme lead Becky Sherrington said its arrival was a "great leap forward" for the island.

She added that Jersey was "very lucky" to receive the vaccine so quickly.

The government said future batches would be delivered to the island on a "weekly basis".

The latest figures show there are 536 active cases of coronavirus in Jersey, of which 23 are in hospital.

On Sunday the island recorded its highest daily figure, when 96 new cases were identified.

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