UK launches new vaccine hub for future pandemics

Be wary of future epidemics. The UK has established the Vaccine Development and Evaluation Center (Vdec) to prepare for and prevent future epidemics. The country’s goal is for researchers to study pathogens for which there is no vaccine, or for which immunization could be improved, such as influenza, monkeypox or hantavirus.

The new vaccine center is based in Porton Down, Wiltshire. Jenny Harries, Executive Director of Health England, explained: “Covid-19 has led to the establishment of a Vaccine Center to deal with other epidemics that may arise and with the opening of this facility we are ensuring that in future epidemics Take precautions before threatening.”

Vdec scientists will study viruses and bacteria they know pose a threat and assess the efficacy of existing vaccines against themin addition to investigating possible future threats of disease X form.

UK decides to design this vaccine evaluation and development center ahead of possible pandemic threat

The term “disease X” is used when the next pathogen causing a pandemic is unknown. “What we’re trying to do here is keep a close eye on pathogens that we know, for example with Covid-19, we’re still here to test all the new variants with the vaccines that have been provided to verify that they still work,” Harris said.

Vdec will also strengthen the UK’s contribution to the Hundred Days mission, Global target set by the G7 for 2021 to respond with a vaccine within 100 days of any new pandemic threat.

Recently, the UK has also approved pharmacies to prescribe antibiotics and diagnostic tests to patients in the UK. Patients will be able to skip consultations with their GP, the government has stressed.

Pharmacists can treat up to seven ailments, including sore throats, earaches, sinusitis or herpes, among others. Everything can be prescribed as long as there are no serious complications. In addition, they will also have the possibility to carry out routine examinations, alleviating the need for hospital centers.

The UK will allocate €645 million to community pharmacies over two years. Nearly 15 million appointments, or 2% of the total, are expected to drop over time. Women also no longer need to go to a clinic to buy oral contraceptives, they can now consult themselves at a pharmacy.