COVID: Mayor Of London Calls For Military To Help Deliver Two Million Vaccinations A Week

The Mayor of London has urged the Government to use the military to help deliver two million vaccinations a week across the UK following the approval of the new Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

A recent study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) concluded the vaccine rollout should be accelerated to two million doses a week to suppress the new, more transmissible strain of COVID-19.

And Sadiq Khan said that figure should be a minimum target for the Government, with the most vulnerable remaining a priority.

“It’s vital that the Government acts swiftly and decisively, and considers every option on the table to accelerate the vaccine rollout, including utilising the skills and expertise of the military,” he said.

More than 100 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been secured for use in the UK already, with the vaccine easier to transport and store.

The new jab will become available in hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and large-scale vaccination centres across the country, and the London Mayor is calling on ministers to ensure key workers get the vaccine as soon as possible.

He also called for more transparency in the reporting of vaccination numbers to ensure the rollout is on track and no group is missed out.

Mr Khan, who tweeted about the "fantastic news", has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, urging him to use the full extent of his powers to ensure the UK rollout is swift and systematic.

“I know I can speak for Londoners when I say we are in awe of the huge achievements and the tireless work of our scientists and NHS staff this year,” he said.

"And we stand ready to support the Herculean national effort required to deliver the vaccine to those who need it most."

The London Mayor described the vaccine as the "light at the end of the tunnel and our route out of this crisis".

“The swift rollout of this new vaccine will enable us to get back to seeing the people and doing the things we miss and love,” he added.

It is understood no military aid to civil authorities (MACA) requests have so far been received or approved by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in connection with the Astra Zeneca vaccine rollout. 

Earlier this month Armed Forces personnel were deployed in efforts to construct coronavirus vaccination centres ready for the vaccine rollout.

The MOD also confirmed that military personnel will be deployed across Wales this winter, possibly until the end of February, to help set up and operate community COVID-19 vaccination centres.