NHS hospitals across the country have been told to be on standby for a coronavirus vaccine from as early as Wednesday, according to reports.
Hospital trusts were reportedly told to prepare for the Pfizer/BioNtech jab to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The vaccine is said to be 95 per cent effective and is the only one currently being assessed by the watchdog.
If it is given the green light by the MHRA, doses are expected to become available within days, the Telegraph reports.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been saying for several weeks that the NHS should be prepared to roll out a groundbreaking vaccine for the killer virus before Christmas.
According to an interim list drawn up by Public Health England, care home residents and staff should be given the first doses followed by anyone aged 80 and over, care workers and NHS staff.
However, because the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine has to be stored at -70C, has a shelf life of just five days and reportedly can't be moved more than four times before rendering it less effective, it is expected to be given to NHS workers first while plans for moving it into care homes are finalised.
If approved by MHRA the vaccine's production plant in Belgium will move it to storage hubs in Britain and then it will be moved on to hospitals.
Prof Peter Openshaw of Imperial College, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, said on Sunday that a coronavirus vaccine could be available “as early as next week”.
The news comes as the Government secured a further two million doses of the Moderna vaccine – the second to have announced its results – which is 95 per cent effective.
This brings the total number of jabs on order from the US firm Moderna to seven million which is enough to vaccinate around 3.5 million people in the UK.
Pfizer said it would not release any doses until approval had been given.
On Saturday Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he has appointed Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi to oversee the deployment of the coronavirus vaccine.
Downing Street said in a statement: "The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Nadhim Zahawi MP as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.
"He remains a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy."
Mr Zahawi will focus on the deployment of the coronavirus vaccine, with the temporary arrangement set to last until at least next summer.
He will report to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, with his primary focus on vaccine deployment although he will keep some of his business responsibilities.
