Vaccine approval met with cautious optimism

The UK has become the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with 40 million doses on order meaning preparations can begin for a mass roll out.

Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the first 800,000 doses will be available from next week. Elderly people, those in care homes and some NHS staff will be prioritised first.

People in Shropshire have welcomed the news, but some still have reservations.

Retired Liz Brown, who was out shopping for the first time in weeks in Shrewsbury, says she'll be having the vaccine when it's available to her, and is looking forward to life getting more back to normal.

"I think it's a good thing, I'm raring to go," she said. "I've seldom been out. I've been doing online shopping. This is the first time I've been out for weeks."

But her daughter Natalie is feeling a bit more apprehensive. She said: "It is positive news but I'm slightly nervous about it. These things normally take longer and it seems a bit rushed. We don't really know the ins and outs or the long terms consequences of having it."

Student Sam Curran, 16, also from Shrewsbury, was pleased to hear the news, but said he will still keep his distance from grandparents and elderly relatives to remain on the safe side this Christmas.

"I think it's good news but they could have done with more long term testing, because we don't really know the long term effects.

"I won't be (visiting grandparents) because it's probably a bit dangerous. It is a good thing but it does all seem a bit rushed."

Helen James, who lives in Shrewsbury town centre, should be be fairly high on the priority list, and said she'll definitely have the vaccine.

"I've got COPD so I'll probably be high on the list. I'll have the vaccine. If it's 95 per cent effective, that's pretty good. The more people that have it, the better. It would be nice to go to shops and not have to avoid going in if there are queues."

The Pfizer/BioNTech jab is the fastest vaccine to go from idea to inception, taking just 10 months to follow the same steps that normally take a decade.

It is expected that elderly people, those in care homes and some NHS staff will be prioritised first, though more details on the priority list will be released in due course.