Coronavirus: Isle of Man vaccines for vulnerable to take over three months

The roll-out of a coronavirus vaccine to the most vulnerable groups on the Isle of Man will take "three to four months", the health minister has said.

David Ashford said that timeframe would allow those in care homes, their carers, and the wider population over the age of 85 to be immunised.

Following that, the roll-out would continue down the age groups.

The programme posed a "huge logistical challenge" for the government, which would "take time", he added.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle previously said while the development of the vaccine may in time be a "silver bullet", it would "not be a speeding one".

Mr Ashford echoed the same comments as he confirmed orders of 130,000 doses would arrive on the island over the next 10 months.

He said the vaccine would be secured through the UK and the NHS supply system and the island had orders scheduled to arrive until September next year.

He added: "We would certainly hope to be trying to work our way through the vulnerable groups within the first three to four months."

The orders include the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine approved by UK regulators on Wednesday and other vaccines, subject to their approval.

Retired doctors and nurses have been called upon to volunteer to help administer the jabs.

Care homes residents will be given the drug at the homes themselves, while other vulnerable groups would initially receive it at a central hub at a location yet to be decided.

Despite the approval of the vaccine, the island's border will remain closed to almost all non-residents for the time being but will be reviewed in the new year, Mr Ashford said.

He said the approval of the first vaccine was: "A green light to put in motion plans to vaccinate our community against this cruel virus, and look towards a brighter future with real optimism."

He added it was the biggest mass vaccination programme ever undertaken on the island and "nothing quite like this" had been done before.

A total of 370 people have tested positive for the virus on the island since March. There is currently one active case.

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