The Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK.

With the Pfizer/BioNTech jab already being administered to the most vulnerable, what does this new development mean?

– What’s in the pipeline for the UK?

The Government has secured 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine.

The initial doses of the Oxford jab were released on Tuesday evening.

Like the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, people will need two doses.

– Why are people having to wait for a second dose?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised two full doses of the vaccine, with the second dose given four to 12 weeks after the first.

It said data showed the vaccine was up to 80% effective when there was a three-month interval between the first and second doses.

A first dose of the jab gives around 70% effectiveness from three weeks after immunisation until a second dose at 12 weeks, according to the MHRA and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Professor Wei Shen Lim, from the JCVI, said that people acquire a high level of protection after a first dose.

He said the JCVI therefore recommends that delivery of an initial dose should be prioritised for both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

“This will allow the greatest number of eligible people to receive vaccine in the shortest time possible and that will protect the greatest number of lives,” he added.

– How will a vaccine be rolled out?

The Oxford vaccine can be stored at fridge temperature for at least six months so it is hoped the logistics of administering it will be easier.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the approval was “fantastic news” and confirmed that the rollout would begin on January 4.

AstraZeneca said it was building up a manufacturing capacity of up to three billion doses worldwide next year, and aims to supply the UK with millions of doses in the first quarter in 2021.

– Now there are more vaccines, does this mean a wider range of people can be vaccinated?

Not all of the people at the top of the priority list created by the JCVI have yet been vaccinated.

So vaccinators will continue to work their way through the list.

It is hoped more people in care homes will be reached with the rollout of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

The JCVI’s guidance says the order of priority should be:

1. Older adults in a care home and care home workers

2. All those who are 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers

3. All those who are 75 years of age and over

4. All those who are 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, excluding pregnant women and those under 18 years of age

5. All those who are 65 years of age and over

6. Individuals aged 16 to 64 years with underlying health conditions

7. All those aged 60 and over

8. All those aged 55 and over

9. All those aged 50 and over

– Don’t vaccines take a long time to produce?

In the past it has taken years, sometimes decades, to produce a vaccine.

Traditionally, vaccine development includes various processes, including design and development stages followed by clinical trials – which in themselves need approval before they even begin.

But in the trials for a Covid-19 vaccine, things look slightly different. A process which usually takes years has been condensed to months.

While the early design and development stages look similar, the clinical trial phases overlap, instead of taking place sequentially.

And pharmaceutical firms have begun manufacturing before final approval has been granted – taking on the risk that they may be forced to scrap their work.

The new way of working means that regulators around the world can start to look at scientific data earlier than they traditionally would do.

– Is the Oxford vaccine being manufactured in the UK?

While there are some doses coming from Europe in the very first instance, the majority will be provided from the UK supply chain.

– Which jab is best?

The early vaccines all have high efficacy rates, but researchers say it is difficult to make direct comparisons because it is not yet known exactly what everyone is measuring in the trials.

– How many doses has the UK secured?

The UK has secured access to 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine, which is almost enough for most of the population.

It also belatedly struck a deal for seven million doses of the jab on offer from Moderna in the US.

The deals cover four different classes: adenoviral vaccines, mRNA vaccines, inactivated whole virus vaccines and protein adjuvant vaccines.

The UK has secured access to:

– 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine

– 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine

– Some 30 million doses from Janssen

– 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine – the first agreement the firms signed with any government

– 60 million doses of a vaccine being developed by Valneva

– 60 million doses of protein adjuvant vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur

– Seven million doses of the jab on offer from Moderna in the US.

– What do they cost?

Pfizer/BioNTech is making its vaccine available not-for-profit.

According to reports, the Moderna vaccine could cost about 38 US dollars (£28) per dose and the Pfizer candidate could cost around 20 US dollars (£15).

Researchers suggest the Oxford vaccine could be relatively cheap to produce at about £3 per dose.

AstraZeneca said it will not sell it for a profit, so it can be available to all countries.

– How do we know the vaccines are safe?

Researchers reported their trials do not suggest any significant safety concerns. Regulators, scientists and clinicians have also scrutinised the data.

– Will people get a choice about which vaccine they are given?

As things stand the vaccines will be rolled out as and when they become available.

People are not able to choose which jab they want to receive.

– Can the vaccines be mixed?

No, if you are given a dose of the Pfizer jab your second dose must also be Pfizer.

The same goes for Oxford.

Clinical trials mixing different types of vaccines are planned but there is no data as yet.

– When can social distancing end?

According to Prof Lim, social distancing measures and other protective measures such as wearing a face mask or hand washing are still needed.

“All those measures are still important at this point in time, even if somebody has received a vaccine,” he said.

“There are many considerations that go into deciding when social distancing measures and personal protective measures should be relaxed. Vaccination is one strand in our defence against the coronavirus.

“We need everything that we can do to protect ourselves and, at the appropriate time when we can see the vaccine having a true effect on severe disease and protecting people from dying, then perhaps we can start relaxing social distancing measures.”

– Can I have the vaccine if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

Yes, where the potential benefits are thought to outweigh the risks. The MHRA recommends women discuss Covid-19 vaccination with their doctor.