Britain is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors’ clinics, the government has said.

The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the National Health Service giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents.

In total, Britain has ordered 40 million doses — enough to vaccinate 20m people in the country of 67m.

About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week.

Opinion

Editorial

Banking inertia
Updated 13 Jul, 2026

Banking inertia

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s latest call to banks to expand lending to SMEs is nothing new. Every government...
Justice imperilled
13 Jul, 2026

Justice imperilled

THE Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the International Federation for Human Rights have raised concerns about...
Toxic staple
13 Jul, 2026

Toxic staple

A RECENT article published in Dawn has shed light on the challenges being faced by Sindh’s chilli farmers, whose...
Mixed messaging
Updated 12 Jul, 2026

Mixed messaging

In case the parleys fail, a return to full-scale war would be the likely outcome.
Way forward
12 Jul, 2026

Way forward

A GROUP of estranged PTI leaders, calling themselves the ‘National Dialogue Committee’ and led by figures like...
Recalled orders
12 Jul, 2026

Recalled orders

WHILE justice should be blind, it should not be oblivious to the human suffering some decisions may cause. This is...