News

Government announces who will be first to receive COVID-19 vaccine

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has confirmed its priority list.

The Manc The Manc - 2nd December 2020
BioNTech

The UK government has today announced who will be first in line to receive the newly-approved Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Care home residents and their carers will be first in line to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the UK.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has confirmed its priority list for the first phase of the UK’s mass vaccine rollout in a press conference this morning.

It follows the earlier news that the UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use, with the Department of Health and Social Care confirming it has been given the go-ahead by the health regulator MHRA for the vaccine to become administered from next week.

Pfizer and BioNTech reported final trial results on 18th November, showing its vaccine was 95% effective in preventing coronavirus (COVID-19), with no major safety concerns.

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Studies have shown the jab works in all age groups.

It has also been confirmed today that the government has secured 40 million doses of the vaccine, and patients need two doses.

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JCVI’s priority list for the first phase of the vaccine rollout is as follows:

  1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
  2. All those 80 years of age and over & frontline health and social care workers.
  3. All those 75 years of age and over
  4. All those 70 years of age and over & clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.
  5. All those 65 years of age and over.
  6. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
  7. All those 60 years of age and over.
  8. All those 55 years of age and over.
  9. All those 50 years of age and over.

Two groups will not receive the vaccine – Pregnant women, and children under 16.

The JCVI stated: “Women should be advised not to come forward for vaccination if they may be pregnant or are planning a pregnancy within three months of the first dose”, adding that “following infection, almost all children will have asymptomatic infection or mild disease” and therefore do not require a vaccine.

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However, it will be available for “those children at very high risk of exposure and serious outcomes, such as older children with severe neuro-disabilities that require residential care”.

Dr June Raine – Chief Executive of the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – said the regulator used a rolling review to complete its assessment of the vaccine in the shortest time possible, with hundreds of experts poring over more than a thousand pages of data.

She also stressed that no corners were cut in this rapid assessment.

But instead, the clinical phases of the trial were completed in an overlapping fashion, with separate items working in parallel to deliver the review, stating the testing was “equivalent to all international standards”.

Dr Raine added: “The public can be absolutely confident that the standards that we have worked to are equivalent to standards around the world.”

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You can find more information regarding the UK’s approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine here.

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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.

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A local baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser to stop it from closing for good

Danny Jones Danny Jones Save Our Baby Bank Trafford Greater Manchester fundraiser

A Greater Manchester baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser in hopes of preventing it from closing for good imminently.

For anyone unaware, baby banks are crucial organisations run largely by volunteers who help provide supplies to families in local communities, with more than 300 in use across the UK at present.

Through delivering much-needed aid such as clothing, prams, nappies and baby food, right through to direct financial support, they help keep parents and their children in good supply of essentials and much more – hugely important work at any rate, let alone during the winter and a cost of living crisis.

However, the Little Green Sock Project over in Trafford is at risk of permanent closure and was initially given until the new year to raise £200,000.

As seen in this moving video, the baby bank based over in Stretford Mall is in dire need of support and, crucially, the funds for a new premises.

They’ve been deeply moved by how Greater Manchester united in reaching into their pockets and sparing whatever they can to contribute to their fundraising target thus far – and they really are nearly at the finish line, which would mean safety for the genuinely life-saving service.

Fundamentally operated as a non-profit and volunteer-led charity, they naturally don’t have the means to just take over a new space on their own and with the current site set to be demolished very soon, a minimum of £200k is needed to find and fund a new location.

Having amassed over 90% of the amount needed, they’ve already bought themselves extra time, they just need one last push from us.

Urging people to donate what they can and share their fundraiser where possible, as well as welcoming corporate sponsorships should other local businesses wish to back them or get stuck through volunteering days, time is of the essence.

The Little Green Sock Project was only started back in 2022 and has already supported over 1,300 children, redistributing more than £240,000 worth of essential items like clothing, cots, prams, and stair gates to local families, as well as saving 20 tonnes of items from landfills.

It’s no exaggeration to say that they’ve changed and saved lives, both parents and children, and with the often difficult festive period approaching, their work is needed now more than ever.

There are just under a dozen baby banks in all of Greater Manchester, many of which are facing similar pressures. (Credit: Supplied)

Speaking on their efforts and the fundraiser, founder Catherine D’Albertanson said: “We believe that essentials needed for the health and wellbeing of children should not only be for those that can afford them. Our work ensures that no child in our community goes without essentials, but without new premises, we will have no choice but to close.”

Moreover, Little Green Sock Project is the only baby bank in the Trafford area and of the families it serves, 58% are single-parent households already struggling with the cost of raising children, while 29% are fleeing domestic abuse, often leaving their belongings behind to protect their family.

With their circular economy model, they also help reduce waste whilst providing “a trusted link between the families that have items to give, to those that need them the most”, with D’Albertanson adding, “If we lose this charity, we lose a vital safety net for many in our community.”

A service user commented: “It was a truly terrifying time when I was pregnant with my first child. I found myself completely alone, with a baby on the way, wondering how I could possibly provide for my son.

“Then I found Little Green Sock Project, and everything changed. Everything was carefully chosen, colour-coordinated, and presented in such a thoughtful way. It felt so special—like someone truly cared about me and my baby. That feeling is indescribable, especially for someone in my position.

“There are so many people like me with stories like this. It breaks my heart to think that the Little Green Sock Project might have to close its doors. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without your help, and I hope with all my heart that the community comes together to keep this lifeline alive.”

Manchester parents need this much-loved baby bank – let’s not let it fall away on our watch. (Credit: Andy Bate at Royal Foundation)

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Every pound donated goes towards helping find the Little Green Sock Project a new home, but people can help contribute in other ways, once again, by spreading the word or getting their hands dirty in person.

Greater Manchester never fails to amaze when it rallies behind causes like this, and we’re sure you won’t let us down this time either. Let’s keep the lights on the lifelines for local families intact.

You can donate now, or to find out other ways to do your bit, click HERE.

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Featured Images — Little Green Sock Project/Andy Bate – Royal Foundation (supplied)

News

Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.

Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.

Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.  

On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job. 

According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.

Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels

“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.

“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.

“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”

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Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour. 

As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

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