‘Low supply weeks’ of vaccine explained
TEMPORARY CLOSURES OF SITES BEFORE ‘BUMPER’ SUPPLY
COVID vaccine supply will slow down in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland this week, it is understood.
Vaccination sites across the area will be receiving fewer doses than in previous weeks, due to what have been described as “low supply weeks”.
A source said that “low supply weeks were planned into the national vaccination programme over this week” and added that a “bumper” supply will be delivered across the country to kick in the week after as efforts to vaccinate all over-50s by mid-April pick up pace.
Caroline Trevithick, chief nurse at Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s clinical commissioning groups, told a health scrutiny meeting: “We are on a ‘just in time’ model so we have enough capacity to deliver the vaccines we are issued, so at the moment some of that capacity isn’t in use because we know we have a reduced amount of supply across the whole country.
“But we also know, from March 15, the number of vaccines coming into the system increases tremendously and we are matching our capacity to meet that.
“That will coincide with additional cohorts being open so we have got the people coming through as much as we have the vaccine coming in.”
As a result of the lower supply making its way to the area, it is understood some hospital hubs will temporarily closing or operating at a reduced capacity over this week.
Hospital hubs were originally set up to provide staff vaccinations but have been offering appointments in addition to the existing vaccine venues across the city and counties, as and when supply has been available.
From time to time there will be planned temporary closures or reduced hours at the hubs as a result of lower supply, but this will not impact on the local rollout or the drive to meet the government’s midApril target of offering a first dose to all over-50s.
There are more than 25 venues across the city, county and Rutland giving the injections, including a mass vaccination site at the Peepul Centre, pharmacists, GP surgeries and sites such as the Leicester Racecourse.
Health bosses have said that all those who are eligible for a jab will still be invited and all of the vaccine doses arriving in the city will be used as quickly as possible.
Health workers in the area have been told the lull is down to work to increase capacity in the manufacture of the vaccine.
Data released recently showed a drop off in the number of vaccines being given locally.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock updated MPs in the House of Commons on the vaccine rollout last week. He described day-to-day vacbe cine supply as “lumpy”. “I’m pleased to inform the House that we’re now inviting over-60s to be vaccinated too, although the day-to-day figures of supply are lumpy, we have some bumper weeks ahead later this month,” he said.
“Given that our vaccination programme began 12 weeks ago, from now we begin in earnest our programme of second vaccinations which ramps up over the month of March.
“I can assure the House that we have factored these second jabs into our supply projections and we’re on track to meet our target of offering a vaccine to all priority groups one to nine by April 15 and all adults by the end of July.”