Barry Gardiner MP and health secretary Matt Hancock.
- Credit: PA/Gareth Fuller/Tolga Akmen
Concerns have been raised with health secretary Matt Hancock about possible delays getting the Covid-19 vaccine to care home residents.
After Mr Hancock's statement to Parliament about coronavirus restrictions on Thursday (December 17), Brent North MP Barry Gardiner asked about issues around splitting up packs of the vaccine.
Mr Hancock told the House there has been "significant progress on tackling this issue".
Referencing James Canning, Brent's first octogenarian to receive the vaccine earlier this week, he said: "While congratulating him and the Wembley Practice team who delivered it, does the secretary of state share my concern that care homes in Brent have been advised that the 970 doses that are in the vaccine packs cannot be split because of the licensing conditions, meaning that those in our care homes who are over 80 may have to wait until February or for the Oxford vaccine before they get vaccinated?