Downing Street has not ruled out making vaccination mandatory although officials stressed there were “no plans” to make a coronavirus jab compulsory, if one is approved.
Asked whether compulsion was being ruled out, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We want as many people as possible to take the vaccine.
“It will go through rigorous safety checks before it is cleared for use.
“But we are not proposing to make it mandatory.”
Asked whether there could be restrictions – such as a public transport ban – imposed on people who refused a vaccine, the spokesman said: “We are not proposing to make it mandatory.”
Downing Street confirmed that talks were being held with Moderna about access to its vaccine, but stressed that the UK already had orders in place for other potential treatments.
US firm Moderna based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, reported this morning that its coronavirus vaccine may prevent 94.5% of people from getting the disease.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The news from Moderna represents another significant step towards finding an effective Covid-19 vaccine.
“Advanced discussions are underway to secure doses for the UK.
“We have already secured early access to 350 million vaccine doses through agreements for six different vaccines, giving the UK the most likely chance of securing a safe and effective vaccine at the quickest speed.
“What we have done is prioritise agreements with vaccine developers who offer different types of vaccines, can provide early supply to the UK and have advanced manufacturing supply chains in place.”
