UK's Pfizer booster shots order adds doubts over AstraZeneca jab

BRITAIN is already gearing up for Covid-19 booster jab rollout and have already set the ball in motion by ordering for 35m Pfizer booster shots to be delivered in the second half of next year.

The latest order has raised eyebrows when already by last week Britain had more than 500m covid vaccine orders with eight vaccine makers.

The country's order of booster shots from Pfizer suggests a dimished role for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the next rollout.

Clive Dix, the former interim chair of the vaccine taskforce told The Telegraph that the AstraZeneca jab is still the best, but its hard to ignore its "tarnished reputation" over the few cases of blood clots related to the jab.

"I would personally just say let's boost with the AstraZeneca vaccine this year, which we have available and which is a very good vaccine - and only then should we start thinking about next year," he was quoted as saying.

The use of the AstraZeneca jabs has reduced across Europe, with few jabs also being rolled out for people of the UK. This has triggered questions about the the future of AstraZeneca vaccines.

AstraZeneca's chief executive, Pascal Soriot, has said the "goal initially was really to come in and help" and added: "For us it was to come in and help, deliver this vaccine, and then go back to our core business."

There are reports of mounting pressure from shareholders for the company to exit the vaccine space.

The reduced demand for AstraZeneca jabs in the UK, US and Europe is good news for rest of the world as the firm can divert the supplies to countries who need the shots.

It is already playing a leading role as earlier this month, AstraZeneca had delivered 91m doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to the Covax scheme, which distributes vaccines to developing countries.

According to recent data, Pfizer's effectivity reduces over time while AstraZeneca's does less quickly. Therefore experts say AstraZeneca's work should not be written off too early.

Sir John Bell, the Oxford vaccine tsar, said the government could be "over-purchasing because no one knows where this goes next." He added, "As we know, they won’t necessarily use it."