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Leading medic says BMA and Pfizer agree: Hancock’s decision to issue single vaccine doses will do little but destroy its effectiveness

Prof Kailash Chand takes apart Matt Hancock’s new desperation-driven ‘plan’ that will destroy vaccine roll-out’s effectiveness

Prof Kailash Chand on a recent BBC programme

The Government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) today recommended a single dose of either vaccine should be given to as many vulnerable people as possible, rather than sticking to the original two-dose strategy.

This in no way is a scientific decision – it is political expediency.

Pfizer said in a statement:

Data from the phase three study demonstrated that, although partial protection from the vaccine appears to begin as early as 12 days after the first dose, two doses of the vaccine are required to provide the maximum protection against the disease, a vaccine efficacy of 95 per cent.

There are no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days.’  

Further, the trial data said that after a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine coverage was 52%. But six days after the second dose that rose to nearly 91%.

Outrageous. What use is 52% to someone over 80 or 90 who is extremely vulnerable? Delaying the second shot to 12 weeks means they will have to continue to shield three months extra, until next jab – unacceptable at that age – particularly those beginning cognitive decline after already being in isolation for 10 months.

By not allowing the 2nd Pfizer dose within the recommended time frame by the manufacturer is nothing less than clinical negligence. Pfizer has explicitly said there is no data to suggest the first dose is effective beyond three weeks. This is incredibly distressing for older people who thought they were going to be protected.

Surely the researchers and scientists who designed and manufactured the vaccine are the ones should be listening to, rather than politicians .

The government has already begun cancelling second-dose vaccinations

The British Medical Association (BMA) General Practice Committee chair, Richard Vautrey, says,

The decision to ask GPs, at such short notice, to rebook patients for three months hence, will also cause huge logistical problems for almost all vaccination sites and practices. For example, to make contact with even just two thousand elderly or vulnerable patients will take a team of five staff at a practice about a week, and that’s simply untenable.
 
I agree with the BMA, it is “grossly unfair” to elderly patients to cancel their second dose appointments next week and is  right in supporting doctors who will defy the NHS advice.

I appeal to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to urgently reverse his instructions to vaccination hubs and to ask them to stick to the original protocol. The stakes are too high and it’s not the time to experiment or play politics with vaccines.

Read the BMA’s response to the government’s decision to delay the follow-up dose of the Pfizer vaccine here.

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22 comments

  1. In my view if it is not speedily reversed this decision by Hancock renders him guilty of crimes against humanity. A case can be made that his previous failures in his role as health secretary are mere incompetence, but this decision cannot be defended in any way.

  2. That vaccine was given a licence on the basis of two doses of a specific concentration given in a specific order and timescale.
    People only consent to be given the vaccine on the basis it beong used correctly as described in the licence.
    Not giving people a second dose looks like a breach of that license, is unethical and would be medical malpractice?

  3. This move is for the Criminal Cabinet to claim MORE people have been vaccinated than would be normally vaccinated and of course increase their personal wealth at the same time…with an ever increasing death total. I propose that a cross party Cabinet take over, led by Desmond Swayne and put the Tory Cabal on trial.

  4. This beggars belief – there can be no good reason for it and the only conclusion that any reasonable person is that there is bad reason for it.

    1. The Tory government are in ever-deeper trouble with this outrageous break from the manufacturer, Pfizer’s, own recommended TWO STAGE vaccine process – with a single jab process (aimed presumably at being able to boast about twice the number of people vaccinated, than was possible via the proper two jab process) with no research basis to prove it will provide long term protection. And what does one of our regular , ‘distraction trolls’, SteveH, bring up to divert attention from this entirely UK and Tory crime against the UK population ? A completely non sequitur, unrelated, story about a claimed Israeli crime ! You’ve really exposed your scripted troll role here , SteveH . Shame on you.

      1. jpenney – …. and yet you chose to amplify my contribution by commenting on it. 😕.
        Why are Zionists like yourself so touchy about anyone criticising the Israeli state.

      2. SteveH thanks for the link. Not just Zionists like jpenney but also Zionists like Keir Starmer.

        Zionism is racism and no one who claims to be a Socialist should have any time whatsoever for this evil racist doctrine.

        It has not gone unnoticed that Zionists are continuing to dehumanise Palestinians by withholding the vaccine from them.

        Listen to Dr Johnathan Kuttab and Miko Peled, the Jewish Israeli writer and peace campaigner discuss the situation here, 20min in.

        https://mikopeled.com/2020/12/31/sputnik-international-podcast-gaza-in-crisis-the-totality-of-brexit/

    2. Steady stevie boy 👦. you’re getting very close to upsetting our Zealous convert the knight with criticism of the Righteous Israeli government..!I have noticed the cracks appearing amongst the right wing Labour mps now the Labour party are running short of funds.!..and members..!2021 here now and thats a message from the future you should be worried about Steve H

  5. Treatment resistance-Viruses adapt and evolve possible creating super-strain.Cost cutting. If this is supported by SAGE then medical malpractice but probably deemed expedient by Lawyers and a Classic’s graduate..From tomorrow the UK legal system is under jurisdiction of the incumbent government-oh what have we voted for- the emergency legislation form the Corona Virus Act does not require returning to parliament just a Statutory Instrument. Judge and jury.
    I hope I am wrong.

  6. Your man Vautrey goes onto say we should complete pfeizer programme and dont start single jab Astra Zeneca programme until data is published and efficacy peer reviewed
    We are being played lads and lasses and although I have no doubt the vaccination is safe, it is also clear its more about profit than public health
    For those who don’t need it, give it a miss

    1. Doug – Don’t be a numpty, whilst the virus is circulating people will be at risk and it will also keep evolving, maybe into something much worse.
      Fuck everybody else is the antipathy of socialism.

      1. WTF there have already been 20,000 variations
        Two ways to get immunity
        Talk a lot, say nowt is just bullshit where I come from

  7. I wonder what ever happened to follow the manufacturers instructions,maybe this government will decide that the fridge is good enough for storage and reusing the needles could be added to save a few bob for Doctor Johnson and collaborators in mass murder.

  8. Pfizer is one month apart for the two doses. So you might ask Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of British advisory group on COVID-19 vaccines, why he is confusing the two vaccines and why the 2nd Pfizer dose is being cancelled.

    AstraZeneca vaccine is starting Monday 4 January 2021, and … “Oxford and AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine can be 80% effective when there are three months between shots, an official involved in approving the vaccine in Britain said, but there is insufficient evidence to back a regime involving a half dose.”… “Munir Pirmohamed, chair of a British advisory group on COVID-19 vaccines, validated those doubts on Wednesday saying the 90% efficacy rate did not hold up under analysis.

    Instead, Pirmohamed said a higher success rate may be due to a longer gap between the administration of the first and second shots.”… “news conference where the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) presented its decision”…
    https://www.indiatoday.in/coronavirus-outbreak/vaccine-updates/story/coronavirus-vaccine-update-astrazeneca-sputnik-v-1754684-2020-12-31

  9. Dear Vox Political, proof of your article in reply to my question to local people … “Just to give local clarity – any member of the public who has already received their 1st vaccination at the (Stafford in Staffordshire) County Showground COVID immunisation centre will receive their 2nd vaccination as planned 3 weeks after the 1st.

    Any new appointments made from the 01.01.21 will receive their 2nd vaccination up to 12 weeks after their first.

    This is a pragmatic local approach made by health leaders in Staffordshire following policy changes announced by NHSE on Wednesday.
    Steve Powell – COVID Immunisation Programme Director, County site, Stafford.

  10. When the Pfizer Vaccine was approved and licenced it was granted on the basis of two doses three weeks apart.If it is given with the doses 12 weeks apart then it is not being given in accordance with the licence. Registered medical Practitioners, and registered Nurses who knowingly administer it that way rather than complying with the requirements of the licence may in effectively administering an unregulated medicine, and may find them selves in conflict with their regulatory bodies, the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifes Council respectively. They could also be in breech of the Health and safety requirements. Pfizer has made its views known and in particular the lack of any research findings re a 12 week gap.The statements by the four CMOs are opaque probably deliberately so , so they can deny having approved the political decision.However the press is reporting that they have approve it, and have been defending their decision to do so.I do not think that the Medical Council or its ethics committee will be impressed by that approach.

  11. With no scientific evidence , based on educational guess putting into risk the lives of front line workers

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