Vaccine Rollout: The government has been criticised from the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic for their sluggish response and lack of impactful action when it was needed most. The initial risk the pandemic posed was not taken seriously and as things developed, we were all given a constantly changing set of restrictions which left the public scrambling for information. It’s only fair that the people question how the pandemic was managed.
The vaccine rollout was the government’s opportunity to redeem themselves and gain the public trust once again. With a recent survey from Politico saying that the trust in the government has dropped to an all-time low with around a third said they “almost never” trust the government it was clear that there was a serious lack of confidence in their ability to handle the pandemic.
In this article we will be evaluating the success of the vaccine rollout, discussing how risk was managed and how they managed to vaccinate 67.5% of the public in just a couple of months!
Table of Contents
The Vaccine Rollout Strategy
The government strategy was very clear from the start, prioritised those who need it most and then push through to the younger age ranges. This helped to reduce the number of hospital admissions as a result of the Coronavirus, therefore, lessening the chance of the NHS being overrun by cases.
Prioritising The Elderly & Vulnerable
Putting the elderly and vulnerable first was one of the UK’s best decisions when it comes to the vaccine rollout. Not only does this mean that the NHS doesn’t get overrun but it also means that the number of Coronavirus related deaths reduce which is one of the main priorities for any government.
Pro Vaccine Marketing Media
Due to the vast majority of Coronavirus related deaths and hospitalisation being amongst the older age groups, many young people were hesitant about the vaccine. Thanks to a steady stream of pro-vaccine marketing, young people were reassured about the vaccine benefits resulting in 7 in 10 young people aged 18 to 29 being vaccinated with a first dose.
Booking Free Vaccine Centres
One of the biggest pinch points surrounding the vaccine rollout was the need for an appointment to be able to receive a dose. With a fast-paced lifestyle, it can be difficult to find the time for a vaccine booking, therefore creating a need for walking centres that did not require a vaccine booking.
The Public Vaccine Response
The vaccine was received by the public in a very positive light. It was pushed in the form of an “escape route” from the pandemic and this lead to great uptake. Comprehensive trialling was completed and the correct level of life science insurance cover was in place to ensure the public were protected throughout the vaccine rollout.
Evaluating The Pandemic As A Whole
Whilst the Coronavirus vaccine rollout has been considered to be one of the better parts of the handling of the pandemic, it’s hard to ignore some of the more obvious mistakes which have been made. Just recently it was revealed that 43,000 people could have had false-negative Covid PCR test results following an issue within a lab in Wolverhampton.
Vaccine Rollout Summary
In Summary, the vaccine rollout has been very successful across all age groups. This being said when looking at the wider picture, there are a number of mistakes that have been made which have cost thousands of lives. The vaccine has been our escape route from the pandemic but we must learn from the mistakes along the way and prepare better for the future.
