The United Kingdom today officially launched the rollout of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, a major development in the country’s ongoing fight against the pandemic. The first doses were administered to patients at Oxford University Hospital, where Brian Pinker, an 82-year-old dialysis patient, became the first recipient. The UK government has prioritized vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and healthcare workers, as the vaccine campaign intensifies.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, is the second vaccine to be approved by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after Pfizer-BioNTech. Health officials have hailed the vaccine for its ability to be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures, making it easier to distribute compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which requires storage at ultra-low temperatures.

The rollout comes as the country faces a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, driven by a new and highly transmissible variant of the virus first identified in the southeast of England. According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the next few weeks will be critical in combating the virus, as the UK aims to vaccinate as many people as possible.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the AstraZeneca vaccine as a “game-changer” in the UK’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus. “This is a significant moment for the nation,” Hancock said during a press briefing. “We now have two safe and effective vaccines, giving us a real chance of turning the tide of this pandemic.”

The UK has ordered 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, enough to vaccinate 50 million people with the required two doses. The government aims to vaccinate the most vulnerable members of the population by mid-February.

Despite the optimism surrounding the vaccine rollout, concerns remain about the rising infection rates and the strain on the healthcare system. The country recorded over 50,000 new cases on several consecutive days in late December, pushing hospitals to the brink of capacity.

While vaccination efforts are a major part of the UK’s strategy, authorities continue to urge the public to follow social distancing measures and other restrictions to control the spread of the virus. Experts caution that it will take several months for the effects of mass vaccination to be fully realized