AQW 10091/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health what preparations have been made for storing the COVID-19 vaccine; and what is the available budget.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 11 November 2020
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 11 November 2020
- Answer due by
- 26 November 2020
- Answered
- 24 November 202013 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Four ultra-low temperature control freezers are now in place at a facility in Northern Ireland. These freezers will be used for taking delivery of the Pfizer vaccine, once it is approved for use in the UK, before the vaccine is distributed to vaccination sites.
There is no specific COVID-19 vaccination programme budget. Work is ongoing to refine the estimated costs of the programme but we anticipate that sufficient funding is already available within the current allocation to Health for COVID.