Military may airlift vaccine to the UK: Armed Forces could be used to bring in more stocks of the Pfizer jab in event of No Deal Brexit, minister confirms
- The military could be used to airlift further stocks of Covid-19 vaccine from Belgium in the event of a No Deal Brexit
- Government is looking at ‘non-commercial’ flight options to transport vaccine
- Potential for ‘serious disruption and delay’ at Channel crossings due to Brexit
The Armed Forces could be used to airlift further stocks of the Pfizer vaccine from Belgium in the event of a No Deal Brexit, a Foreign Office minister has confirmed.
James Cleverly said the Government was looking at ‘non-commercial’ flight options to transport the vaccine.
It follows a warning last week by a committee of MPs about the potential for ‘serious disruption and delay’ at Channel crossings when the Brexit transition period expires at the end of this month.
Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said the Government was looking at ‘non-commercial’ flight options to transport the vaccine
The Armed Forces could be used to airlift further stocks of the Pfizer vaccine from Belgium in the event of a No Deal Brexit (file photo)
‘The vaccine is the top priority product in terms of bringing anything into the UK,’ he told BBC Breakfast.
‘So, potentially, we are looking at non-commercial flight options.
‘This is such an important product, perhaps the most important product, so we will look to ensure that those supplies are available in the UK. In whatever circumstance.’
The first of the UK’s initial 800,000 doses arrived in the UK last week, with Matt Hancock confirming in a tweet yesterday that all parts of the UK now have access to the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.
The Ministry of Defence said military planners are working with the Government’s vaccine task force, while other personnel are helping to construct vaccination centres.