Selling off UK vaccine manufacturing centre is “ridiculously short-sighted”

Selling off UK vaccine manufacturing centre is “ridiculously short-sighted”

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that the government-funded Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) has been sold to the US firm Catalent, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: "Selling this vital infrastructure is a ridiculously short-sighted move that risks leaving us less prepared for the next pandemic. Vaccines can take decades to develop and selling this facility shows this Conservative Government’s lack of long-term planning. “This facility was purpose built with more than £200m worth of taxpayers’ money to produce vaccines. With this Government wasting eye-watering amounts of public money and writing off money spent fraudulently, the Tories must come clean on how much this facility has been sold for. “The Prime Minister himself underlined how important this centre would be to protect against Covid and future pandemics. The…
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Only 1-in-3 pharmacies in England wanting to give booster jabs get go-ahead

Only 1-in-3 pharmacies in England wanting to give booster jabs get go-ahead

Parliamentary news
Fewer than one third of the 4,733 pharmacies that applied to take part in the booster vaccination programme have been accepted, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed. Some pharmacies are waiting up to eleven weeks to be approved to give out Covid vaccines and booster jabs. If that wait was repeated from today, a pharmacy would not be able to provide vaccinations until March next year. By the end of September 2021, fewer than one third of the 4,733 pharmacies that applied to take part in the booster vaccination programme had been accepted. Of these, just 1,336 community pharmacy vaccination sites were actively providing the service as of 3 December. The figures were provided in response to a parliamentary question tabled by Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper…
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PM must stop sale of vaccine manufacturing centre

PM must stop sale of vaccine manufacturing centre

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have demanded that Boris Johnson immediately steps in to halt the sale of the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Harwell near Oxford, describing the move as "short-sighted penny pinching." It was reported this morning that the centre is being sold off to recoup some of the money invested by the Government. On a visit to the centre last year, Boris Johnson claimed that the new vaccine centre “will be able to manufacture enough vaccine doses for the whole UK population… which would transform how we beat this virus and prepare for future pandemics." Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “Boris Johnson must immediately step in and stop the sale of the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre, and reassure the public that the Government isn’t cutting back…
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Lib Dems call for half term jab blitz due to 8000 classrooms sitting empty

Lib Dems call for half term jab blitz due to 8000 classrooms sitting empty

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to speed up the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines over half term after new Department for Education figures reveal over 216,000 pupils are absent from school for Covid-related reasons. The figures show infection rates in schools are rising at a concerning rate and this is having a huge impact on young people’s education - with 2.6% of pupils absent for covid-related reasons over the last two weeks. Across the UK schools are grappling with soaring case numbers, which has seen institutions like Eton bring in a wave of new strict measures, including social distancing and cancelling events, to prevent an outbreak of cases. The Liberal Democrats are calling for greater steps to be taken to protect our children’s education, including a £5bn Catch…
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Government punishing young people for pandemic mistakes

Government punishing young people for pandemic mistakes

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are warning that young people are bearing the brunt of this pandemic following reports that students may have to be double-vaccinated to return to lecture halls. Many students have lost out on education after almost 18 months of restrictions, while their mental health is also believed to have been severely impacted by the pandemic and lockdowns. Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Health Munira Wilson MP said: "It is completely unacceptable that the Government is considering this. While it is crucial every adult who can get vaccinated does get the jab, attempting to withhold face-to-face education from students until they do is crossing a line. "Young people are bearing the brunt of this pandemic, and Government attempts to strongarm them into getting vaccinated will simply push them away. Along…
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Government must go further and faster to vaccinate most vulnerable

Government must go further and faster to vaccinate most vulnerable

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the newly published vaccine delivery plan but have urged the Government to go 'further and faster' to protect the vulnerable. Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, said “Vaccinating two million people is something to be welcomed. However, it shouldn’t mask the fact that government needs to go further and faster if it is to reach all of the most vulnerable in society by mid-February. “I’m certain that people will queue safely round the block 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get the vaccine and that is exactly what should be available. It is vital the Government doesn’t waste a moment, day or night, in the race against the virus. “With cases and deaths sadly still on the rise this is the…
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Munira Wilson: ‘Terrifying R-rate increase requires faster vaccine rollout’

Munira Wilson: ‘Terrifying R-rate increase requires faster vaccine rollout’

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a faster rollout of vaccines after news that the R-rate has risen between 1 and 1.4. Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, welcomed the decision to test travellers for coronavirus at UK borders but said these restrictions should have been implemented months ago. Munira Wilson said: “The numbers released today make it increasingly clear that the Government needs to roll out the vaccine as quickly and safely as possible. "Infections are increasing at a terrifying rate and hospitals are close to being overwhelmed. Boris Johnson must deliver on his promises if we are to save lives and protect the NHS. “Even after many millions of people have received their jab, fixing the Government’s test and trace system will still be…
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Teachers must be vaccinated to protect them against coronavirus

Teachers must be vaccinated to protect them against coronavirus

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for teachers to be vaccinated against coronavirus after the government admitted schools were the epicentre of high community transmission. Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, has written a letter to Gavin Williamson and Matt Hancock to ask them to vaccinate teachers as part of category seven. This would make them a top priority after everyone working in the NHS and social care and those most at risk by virtue of their age, being clinically vulnerable or having an underlying health condition. It comes as the Secretary of State for Education announced that teachers' estimated grades will replace GCSE and A-level results. Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education, said: “Teachers and school staff have put themselves at enormous risk during this pandemic in order…
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Warm welcome for arrival of ‘cold vaccine’ for Covid -19

Warm welcome for arrival of ‘cold vaccine’ for Covid -19

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has given a warm welcome to news that the first Covid-19 vaccine is finally being distributed for use with the most vulnerable group in society, care home residents. Councillor Sykes said: “The logistics associated with the transport and storage of this vaccine are considerable as it must be stored at minus 70 degrees centigrade until shortly before its use, but it is my hope that the residents of Oldham’s care homes (and staff) will soon be able to receive it – let us hope by Christmas. “If we could combine the vaccine roll-out with the introduction of 30-minute on-site lateral flow tests for family members, then face-to-face visits to care homes, allowing physical contact in safety, may become possible and this…
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Davey: Government cannot allow repeat tragedy in care homes

Davey: Government cannot allow repeat tragedy in care homes

Parliamentary news
Following the Prime Minister's press conference , Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Mass testing and vaccines are hugely welcome and bring hope for a return to normal life at long last. And I’m pleased governments across the four nations listened to the Liberal Democrat call for a UK wide approach to the festive period. "But it’s so wrong that the Prime Minister still refuses to help the millions of self-employed people excluded from any support for the entirety of this crisis. "Equally, to avoid a wide scale repeat of the earlier tragedy in our care homes, Ministers must guarantee that no care homes are being forced to admit people who are COVID positive.”
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