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Moderna COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in the UK

The UK medicines regulator has approved the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for use in Britain.

The Manc The Manc - 8th January 2021
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The UK medicines regulator has approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in Britain.

The jab, which requires temperatures of around – 20C, is expected to be available in the spring.

The UK has pre-ordered 17 million doses.

Britain is already administering both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines at nearly 1,000 inoculation sites around the country.

Around 1.5 million people have received their first dose so far.

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The government has set a target of supplying 15 million vaccines to the most vulnerable by February 15.

The addition of the Moderna jab is expected to increase the acceleration of the national vaccine rollout – with the Prime Minister still eyeing March as the month whereby some degree of normality can return.

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Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “The NHS is pulling out all the stops to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible, with over 1,000 vaccination sites live across the UK by the end of the week to provide easy access to everyone, regardless of where they live.

“The Moderna vaccine will be a vital boost to these efforts and will help us return to normal faster.”

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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Moving house

The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.  

Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs. 

The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.

The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.

It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.

This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.

Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.

Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.  

Houses
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)

“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.

“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.  

“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”

Read more:

Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.

Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)

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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Lucy Letby mugshot

The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.

The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.

It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.

Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.  

Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.

Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.

“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”

Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.

“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”

Read more:

The Investigation of Lucy Letby will be released and available to stream on Netflix in the UK and Ireland on 4 February 2026.

Featured Image – Cheshire Police

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