This afternoon, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) released a statement on the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in Birmingham.

In the next few days, Birmingham and Solihull will begin delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

This batch of vaccines will first be offered to eligible hospital patients over the age of 80 (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, Priority Group 1) who have opted to have the vaccine at their QEHB outpatient appointment.

The vaccination programme will be rolled out more widely to health and social care staff and through the primary care networks as supplies are made available and operational details are confirmed.

As there are nationally agreed eligibility criteria for the vaccine, individuals cannot book an appointment until they have been contacted and formally advised to do so. Unless contacted, there is nothing that anyone (patients and/or staff) need to do at this time.

A website will launch next week with information such as leaflets and video content.