GP surgeries in England begin offering Oxford coronavirus vaccine
January 7, 2021, 12:16 pm

GP surgeries in England begin offering Oxford coronavirus vaccine

A vial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. It is hoped more than 700 sites will be delivering vaccines by the end of the week in England.

Deployment comes amid claims family doctors have been told to ‘stand down’ routine care

GP surgeries in England are to begin administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine amid claims family doctors have been instructed to “stand down” routine care to prioritise inoculation.

The deployment from Thursday comes after the UK daily reported death toll topped 1,000 and London’s hospitals were said to be on the brink of being overwhelmed.

It is hoped more than 700 sites in England will be delivering vaccines by the end of the week in a mass vaccination drive the prime minister has said is now a race.

A further 1,041 people were reported on Wednesday to have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus – the highest UK daily total since 21 April. Record numbers are also in hospital with Covid-19, with a further 3,500 admitted in England on Monday.GPs have been given instructions to “stand down non-essential work” in order to focus on the delivery of the jabs, the Daily Telegraph reported. Lucy Watson, the chair of the Patients Association, told the newspaper: “For patients to be confident that the NHS remains open for business it would be helpful for there to be clear messages from NHS England about which healthcare activities are being stopped in primary care and which healthcare activities are being continued.”

Boris Johnson received the overwhelming backing of MPs for the latest lockdown as the House of Commons was recalled from its Christmas break on Wednesday, with a 508-majority of MPs voting for the measures whichthat could be in place until 31 March 31.

He told the Commons: “After the marathon of last year we are indeed now in a sprint, a race to vaccinate the vulnerable faster than the virus can reach them. “Every needle in the arm makes a difference.”

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – with the second jab taking place 12 weeks after the first – is easier to administer as it can be stored at normal fridge temperatures, unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech jab that requires long-term storage at -70C.

Seven mass vaccination centres will open next week in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Surrey and Stevenage.

There were claims GPs have delayed vaccination clinics repeatedly because the delivery of supplies has been inconsistent. Richard Vautrey, who chairs the British Medical Association’s GP committee, told the Times it was “crucial that practices are given greater certainty over delivery date, which then do not change, and as much notice as possible of any potential delays so they can effectively mitigate the impact of rescheduling patients last minute”.

One Bristol medical centre reportedly had its first batch, due on 22 December, cancelled at the last minute. A vaccination site in Rochdale, told to expect more than 1,000 doses this weekend, was then told they would not arrive, the Times reported.

The home secretary, Priti Patel, said “localised issues” may have prevented the vaccine from reaching some GPs.

She told Sky News: “The NHS has a clear plan for delivering the vaccine and that plan has been working, it is going out to GPs. There might be some localised issues in getting vaccine to a particular GP surgery.”

She added: “This is the biggest rollout programme of vaccination in the history of the NHS so there are clearly some issues right now but the fact of the matter is we are absolutely getting this vaccine rolled out.”

The vaccine minister, Nadhim Zahawi, admitted the target of vaccinating about 14 million people in the highest priority groups by 15 February was “stretching”. Approximately 1.3 million people have already received either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, the effort to increase the speed of inoculations will result in the approval period needed for Covid vaccine batches being slashed from 20 days to four. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the body responsible for the checks, will also increase staffing in an attempt to accelerate the programme, the paper reported.

source: Caroline Davies

Levant

Customers in Europe hit by post-Brexit charges when buying from UK Syria - In for the Long Run

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.