BRITAIN said on Wednesday (1) it had agreed deals to buy 114 million more Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccine shots, saying it had sped up signing the new contracts in light of the emergence of the new Omicron variant.
The deal involves an additional 60 million Moderna shots and 54 million Pfizer doses for next year and 2023, and will also include access to any modified vaccinations if they are needed to combat the Omicron strain or any other variant, the British health ministry said.
"These new deals will future proof the Great British vaccination effort – which has so far delivered more than 115 million first, second and booster jabs across the UK – and will ensure we can protect even more people in the years ahead," health minister Sajid Javid said.
So far, nearly 51 million people in Britain have received their first Covid vaccine - almost 89 per cent of the population aged over 12, more than 46 million have had two doses, and some 18.6 million have received a booster shot.
On Tuesday (30) prime minister Boris Johnson announced a new target this week to offer all adults a vaccine booster by the end of January, which means speeding up the rollout by an extra million doses a week.
So far 32 cases of the heavily mutated Omicron variant, which it is feared could be more transmissible, have been identified in Britain which has sparked the government into ramping up the vaccine programme.
Britain has made it mandatory to wear masks on public transport and shops, but Johnson and his ministers hope the booster programme will mean there will be no need for further restrictions or measures to curb social gatherings.
The contracts for the additional vaccines come on top of an order for 35 million Pfizer shots made in August for the second half of next year, and for 60 million Novavax and 7.5 million GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)/Sanofi doses which are due in 2022 but are yet to be approved by the British regulator.
Wealthy countries have been accused of not doing enough to distribute stockpiles of vaccines to poorer nations, and the British government said it remained committed to donating 100 million doses by the middle of 2022, saying 30 million would be donated by the end of this year.
Johnson will also on Thursday (2) host a roundtable of leaders from major pharmaceutical firms including AstraZeneca, GSK and Pfizer to discuss preparations to deal with any future pandemics.
(Reuters)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)