The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have struck a new deal pledging to provide millions of vaccines should a flu pandemic break out.
Should a flu pandemic, which is different to seasonal flu that’s around every year, wreak havoc on the UK, manufacturer CSL Seqirus, which is one of the biggest vaccine providers in the world, would be able to quickly produce more than 100 million vaccines at its base in Liverpool.
The UKHSA said this is the first time the manufacturing process would be based entirely in the UK, ensuring access to vaccines if the global demand outweighs supply. The injections would be developed and tested to match the pandemic flu strain circulating at the time.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, said: ‘We have seen from past events, including Covid-19, that access to effective vaccines is vital to help save lives and minimise disruption to our lives and livelihoods.
‘This agreement represents a major step forward in our preparedness against future influenza pandemics.
‘Manufacturing these potentially life-saving vaccines inside the UK gives us speedier and more secure access, enabling us to roll them out to those who need them more quickly.’
In addition, the deal has been welcomed with open arms as, in the past, there have been four flu pandemic outbreaks. In 1918 50 million people lost their lives worldwide and the virus still remains a major health concern for the World Health Organisation.
Vaccines minister, Maria Caufield said: ‘This deal with CSL Seqirus places us on the front foot if we are faced with an influenza pandemic in the future.
‘It will ensure vaccines are manufactured in the UK – enabling us to get jabs into arms fast regardless of global demand and save thousands of lives.’
However, news of this new deal has come as the government has formerly experienced a rocky relationship regarding beneficial health vaccinations. In August officials announced Covid-19 booster jabs would not be distributed to healthy people under the age of 65 despite a major spike in cases.
Image: Ed Us
Changes to NHS vaccine programmes ‘will ultimately save lives’
Flu and Covid autumn vaccine programmes brought forward due to new variant