Supplies of one of the crucial Covid vaccines used in the UK have been cut in some virus hotspots, it has been reported.
Boris Johnson announced earlier this week that the final easing of lockdown restrictions would be delayed by four weeks, giving enough time for more vaccinations to take place.
Confirming the delay the Prime Minister said it would 'give the NHS a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them.'
The final step of the PM’s roadmap - which was to remove most remaining restrictions in England - is expected to take place from July 19.
The latest figures show that more than half of UK adults, over 30 million people, have had their second dose of a vaccine, while almost four in five had been given a single dose.
Now, the Daily Telegraph reports that a shortage of the Pfizer vaccine will slow down the rollout of jabs in spite of the delay to easing lockdown restrictions.
The publication claims that supplies of the Pfizer jab to virus hotspots where Covid case rates are rising in younger age groups have been cut.
On Tuesday, the head of the NHS was reported to have said the service couldn't go any faster amid the limited supplies.
Supplies are said to be so short that staff at some mass vaccination centres were told their shifts would be cancelled in the coming weeks, according to a leaked letter.
NHS bosses at Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust reportedly told staff and volunteers at the Derby Arena centre that they may not be needed to come into work because of limited supplies, expected to replenish in July.
Ian Ward, the leader of Birmingham City Council, said the city would be "in exactly the same position" by July 19 unless the shortage could be solved.
He told the paper: "Unless the Government can deliver the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the right numbers, it's hard to see how we could safely unlock on July 19 – and that goes for the whole country."
Nahim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, said Pfizer supplies will be "tight" in the coming weeks.
He was reported to have said: "Pfizer have done a great job in being consistent on their delivery schedule," adding the company had done "remarkable things to increase their production, not just for us but for the whole world, for Europe and the US as well.
"But it is tight."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman reportedly said: "There are no shortages of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines and deliveries are coming in on time and as ordered.
"Our vaccination programme continues to make phenomenal progress, with more than 71 million vaccines administered so far –including 30 million second doses – and we are on track to offer a jab to all adults by July 19. We have been clear that everyone who is due a second dose should receive it on schedule."
