Vaccine makers halted by bomb scare
PRODUCTION of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was suspended due to a bomb alert.
Royal Logistics Corps disposal experts were rushed to Wockhardt UK’s facility in Wrexham, North Wales, yesterday after a suspicious package was found by workers.
John Roberts, who runs CMS Wrexham Ltd, next door, said he heard a “big bang” before police flooded on to the site.
Officers evacuated staff, put up a security cordon and closed roads.
The alert disrupted production at the facility, where the vaccine is put into vials and packed for AstraZeneca.
Forensic officers examined items on a road
near the plant and North Wales Police said the contents of a package were taken away for analysis.
Wockhardt UK said the suspension will not delay production of the lifesaving Covid jabs.
No 10 was kept updated and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was working to find out more.
A police spokesman said: “There are no wider concerns for public safety, however some roads on the industrial estate will remain closed whilst we continue our investigations.”
Wockhardt UK said it could “confirm that the package was made safe and staff are now being allowed back into the facility”.
Visiting in November, PM Boris Johnson said the plant could give “salvation for humanity”.