Immune escape

England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has appeared on Sky News to answer some questions from the public on the coronavirus crisis. He shared his perspective on the public's queries and concerns on topics including the vaccine rollout, vaccine hesitancy and lifting the lockdown. Below are some of the key things from the Q&A, followed by a short analysis from science correspondent Thomas Moore , who offers his insight on each answer. 1. Since we hit the first 15 million jabs target there has been a drop-off in the daily vaccination numbers. Why? "That's really very simple to explain. There are always going to be supply fluctuations. These are new vaccines and by and large the manufacturers have never made them or anything like them before," Professor Van-Tam said. Advertisement Using one of his now-famous analogies Prof Van-Tam compared the manufacture of vaccines to beer-making. He said you set the equipment up and let … [Read more...] about Vaccine side-effects, fertility and jab shortages – Van-Tam answers your questions

COVID vaccines will be available from GP surgeries from today - as the race to protect Brits from the virus is ramped up. The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab can be stored at fridge temperatures making it easier to administer, unlike the Pfizer jab which requires storage at -70C. It's hoped more than 700 GP surgeries will be delivering vaccines by the end of the week - after the UK recorded the highest daily death toll since April. The UK reported a further 1,041 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday. Record numbers are also currently in hospital with coronavirus, with a further 3,500 admitted in England on Monday. Some 1.3 million people have already received either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. And millions of extra Covid vaccines could be ready within weeks as approval times for fresh batches are slashed to just five days. The jabs will be given to those deemed most vulnerable to the virus first - and are … [Read more...] about Covid vaccines available in GP surgeries TODAY – all you need to know about getting yours

A flight carrying 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has arrived in Ghana as part of a global effort to immunise the world's poorest people. The delivery comes eight months after the launch of the COVAX initiative - the World Health Organisation's (WHO) sharing scheme which is aimed at ensuring global vaccine equity. The shots will be used to kick-start a vaccination drive that will prioritise frontline health workers and others at high risk, according to a plan presented by Ghanaian health officials. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world "This is a momentous occasion, as the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines into Ghana is critical in bringing the pandemic to an end," Anne-Claire Dufay of UNICEF Ghana, and WHO country representative, Francis Kasolo, said in a statement. Advertisement "These 600,000 COVAX vaccines are part of an initial tranche of deliveries." They added the shots paid for by the scheme … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Ghana receives 600,000 free vaccine doses as part of global scheme

The symptoms of coronavirus can vary hugely from person to person, but those most badly affected will require intensive care in hospital. Among them is Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who was admitted to ICU (Intensive Care Unit) after his condition worsened. But what are the reasons for moving a coronavirus patient from a ward to ICU? And what sort of treatment do doctors and nurses provide? Sky News has spoken to a number of consultants. What has to happen for you to end up in intensive care? Advertisement Patients end up in intensive care when COVID-19 makes it very difficult for them to breathe, which in worst cases can cause them to develop pneumonia - fluid on the lungs. They also may require sudden access to equipment to aid breathing that is not available on general wards. More from Covid-19 COVID-19: Airlines to burn through up to $95bn this year after restrictions tightened COVID-19: Face masks may not be needed … [Read more...] about Coronavirus: Why are patients put into intensive care?

Ghana on Wednesday became the first country to receive vaccines through the COVAX initiative with a delivery of 600,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab. The shipment is part of a first wave of free deliveries headed to dozens of low- and middle-income countries under COVAX, a UN-backed scheme that aims to ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines . Immunization campaign to start next week The shots, which were produced by the Serum Institute of India, will be used by Ghana to launch a vaccination drive on March 2. "The first segment of the population that will receive the 600,000 doses will be health workers, adults 60 years and over, people with underlying health conditions," the government said. The West African country of 30 million people has recorded more than 80,700 coronavirus cases and 584 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the local health authority. Watch video 02:46 Share COVAX vaccine program struggles Send … [Read more...] about Coronavirus: Ghana becomes first country to receive COVAX vaccines