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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 8 december 2020
U.K. readies for ‘V-Day,’ its 1st shots in war on coronavirus

LONDON (AP) — It’s been ed in Europe. The U.K. has
dubbed “V-Day” in Britain more than 1.7 million cases.
-- recalling the D-Day land- The first shipments of the
ings in France that marked Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
the start of the final push in were delivered to a select-
World War II to defeat Nazi ed group of U.K. hospitals
Germany. on Sunday.
A week after the U.K. be- The 800,000 doses are only
came the first Western a fraction of what is need-
country to authorize wide- ed. The government is tar-
spread use of a vaccine geting more than 25 million
against COVID-19, it is pre- people, or about 40% of
paring to administer its first the population, in the first
shots on Tuesday in its war phase of its vaccination
on the virus. program, which gives first
Those 800,000 doses will first priority to those who are at
go to people over 80 who the highest risk from the dis-
are either hospitalized or ease.
already have outpatient After those over 80 and
appointments scheduled, nursing home workers, the
along with nursing home program will be expanded
workers. as the supply increases,
In other words, the National with the vaccine offered
Health Service is saying to roughly on the basis of age
the waiting public, in effect: Nurses at the Royal Free Hospital, London, simulate the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to groups, starting with the
support staff training ahead of the rollout, in London, Friday Dec. 4, 2020.
Don’t call us, we’ll call you. Associated Press oldest people.
Only those who have been Buckingham Palace re-
contacted by the NHS to we don’t want people to dren or pregnant women, eca. fused to comment on re-
arrange an appointment get anxious about or con- not the entire population. On Saturday, Russia began ports that Queen Elizabeth
will be getting the jab. cerned about is ‘Where’s The U.K. is getting a head vaccinating thousands of II, 94, and her 99-year-old
Most people will have to my letter?’ in December.” start on the project after doctors, teachers and oth- husband, Prince Philip,
wait until next year before Public health officials British regulators on Dec. 2 ers at dozens of centers in would be vaccinated and
there is enough vaccine on around the globe are gave emergency authori- Moscow with its Sputnik V the action publicized in an
hand to expand the pro- watching Britain’s rollout zation to the vaccine pro- vaccine. That program is effort to show that there
gram. as they prepare for the duced by U.S. drugmaker being viewed differently was nothing to fear from
“I don’t think people should unprecedented task of Pfizer and Germany’s BioN- because Russia authorized the jab.
expect anything over the rapidly vaccinating billions Tech. U.S. and European use of Sputnik V last sum- “Our goal is totally to pro-
next few days because of people to end the pan- Union authorities are also mer after it was tested in tect every member of the
the reality is … that for the demic that has killed more reviewing the vaccine, only a few dozen people. population, Her Majesty, of
vast, vast, vast majority of than 1.5 million worldwide. alongside rival products But the vaccine can’t ar- course, as well,” Dr. June
people this will be done in While the U.K. has a well- developed by U.S. biotech- rive soon enough for the Raine, chief executive of
January, February, March,” developed infrastructure nology company Mod- U.K., which has more than Britain’s Medicines and
said Chris Hopson, chief ex- for delivering vaccines, it erna, and a collaboration 61,000 COVID-19 related Healthcare products Regu-
ecutive of NHS Providers. is geared to vaccinating between Oxford University deaths — more than any latory Agency, told the BBC
“And the one thing that groups such as school chil- and drugmaker AstraZen- other country has report- on Sunday.q

Trudeau: Canada to get Pfizer vaccine by end of this year

By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Prime in. Canada doesn’t have livery next week.”
Minister Justin Trudeau mass vaccine-production Canada has contracts
said Monday Canada will facilities. with six other vaccine mak-
get up to 249,000 doses of Trudeau said Canada re- ers as well.
the vaccine developed cently amended the con- Trudeau said 14 distribution
by American drugmaker tract with Pfizer so that it centers will be located in
Pfizer and Germany’s Bi- would deliver up to 249,000 large Canadian cities ini-
oNTech before the end of doses this month. That will tially. There will be one in
December. mean about 124,500 of the each province and two
The vaccine is expected highest risk Canadians will each in Canada’s four
be approved by Health get vaccinated at first as largest provinces.
Canada as soon as Thurs- two doses are required per He said millions of more
day. person a few weeks apart. doses will be on the way.
Trudeau had come under “We are now contracted “It has been a difficult
criticism from opposition to receive up to 249,000 year, and we are not out
parties for saying Cana- of our initial doses of Pfiz- of this crisis yet,” Trudeau
dians won’t be among er-BioNTech’s COVID-19 said. “But now, vaccines
the first to get a vaccine vaccine in the month of are coming.”
A sign regarding mask use to help curb the spread of COVID-19 against COVID-19 be- December,” Trudeau said. Seniors and workers in
hangs outside a business in Vancouver, British Columbia, cause the first doses will “Pending Health Canada long-term care homes are
Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020.
Associated Press likely go to citizens of the approval, the first shipment among those expected to
countries they are made of doses is tracking for de- get the vaccine first.q