NEWS that Britain is the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, paving the way for the largest mass vaccination programme the country has ever seen, was greeted with jubilation this week.

And plans are already in place to support the rollout in Farnham – with Dr Ed Wernick, the GP leading the town’s Covid response, jesting that he will happily be “first in the queue” to receive his jab now it has been assessed safe.

Health and social care workers will be among the first tranche of people to receive the vaccine in coming weeks – but this will quickly be expanded to at-risk groups in the town, and eventually everyone over the age of 18.

It is expected the initial rollout will be of the Pfizer vaccine and activity will be scaled up in the new year as more products – including Astra Zenica’s – are approved.

NHS England has tasked each of the country’s primary care networks, including Farnham’s, with delivering a 1,000 vaccinations a week or more.

Dr Wernick said there is still “plenty of wrangling” with NHS England over how GPs will deliver the vaccine, with the former pushing for an 8am to 8pm seven days a week rollout, and GPs asking for more flexibility to locally tailor the service.

But he added Farnham is already “well placed” to begin the rollout, and the town’s primary care network has received great support from Farnham Town Council and volunteer groups such as the Lions and Hedgehogs to ready itself.

“It’s going to be six months of giving 1,000 vaccines a week, or there or thereabouts,” said the Downing Street GP.

“So it’s going to be a big task but there are lots of people out there who are very happy to help and I’m really confident we’ll be able to do it.”

Dr Wernick added: “All I’ve heard from patients is ‘when is it coming out’, and ‘can I be in the first wave’. I haven’t heard any anti-vax commentary, which is really pleasing given the need and task ahead.”