First COVID-19 Vaccines Touch Down in UK Hospitals
Shots fired! Batches of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have arrived at a South London hospital ahead of the UK’s massive vaccination rollout this week. Staff at University Hospital in Croydon were seen unloading the precious cargo, carefully placing the vials into ultra-cold freezers set between -70°C and -80°C — vital for preserving the vaccine’s effectiveness.
Louise Coughlan, joint chief pharmacist at Croydon Health Services, called the moment “so exciting” and “momentous.”
“The NHS has been planning the largest vaccination programme in our history, so to know the vaccines are here — and we are among the first in the world to receive them — is amazing. I’m so proud,” she said.
UK COVID Deaths Rise as France Battles Fresh Surge
Tragically, COVID-19 continues to claim lives across the UK. Of the latest deaths:
- 201 in England
- 14 in Wales
- 11 in Northern Ireland
- 5 in Scotland
Crossing the Channel, France recorded 11,022 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday — a slight dip from Saturday’s 12,923. Yet hospital deaths climbed by 174, adding to the grim toll. ICU admissions fell by 10 to 3,220, though more patients remain hospitalised than before.
US States Tighten Restrictions Amid Pandemic Chaos
Meanwhile, across the pond, US states scramble to slam the brakes on spiralling coronavirus cases. With no clear national strategy until vaccines reach the masses in spring, governors are left to their own devices.
Dr Deborah Birx, White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, vented frustration over confusing and mixed messaging from the Trump administration.
“Right now, across the Sun Belt, governors and mayors have cases at summer levels yet aren’t imposing the same restrictions that worked back then,” Birx told NBC’s Meet the Press. “We know what works — these tools stemmed the tide in spring and summer.”
Only half of US states have added new COVID rules recently, despite record cases and hospitalisations. Shockingly, 14 states still don’t mandate mask-wearing.
