Thread by @mac_puck

The true story of the UK's vaccine rollout is hiding in plain sight:

1. In 2020 the UK approved and procured 40M doses of Pfizer and 100M of AZ all under EU rules.

2. From 7th December 2020 until 7th April 21, the UK did indeed have the fastest rollout in Europe.

But then...

https://twitter.com/edwinhayward/status/1541094428231843841

...on 7th April 2021, after 79 AZ recipients experienced rare blood clots, the JCVI recommended alternatives to AZ should be given to under-30's (soon updated to "under-40's).

But we had already vaccinated most over-40s and already used up most of our Pfizer.

Uh-oh...

In a state of extreme panic HMG rapidly (28th April) ordered another 60M doses from Pfizer - money no object - to fill the gap created by the AZ doses becoming effectively unusable overnight.

BUT PFIZER COULD NOT DELIVER UNTIL SEPTEMBER!!!

gov.uk/government/new…

This was potentially hugely embarassing for HMG and for Brexit:

a) The Great British vaccine, AZ, was effectively contraindicated, leaving us dependent on EU Pfizer.

b) The 60M doses procured now under Brexit rules were going to take 5 months, whereas had we been part of...

the EU procurement deal extra doses would have been redirected our way instantly.

c) The reason we approved Pfizer and AZ faster than the EU initially was we took a gamble on safety and gave a waiver on liability. The AZ blood clot thing shone a very harsh light on all that.

So then in early April 21 HMG levelled with the population, saying " Sorry. We cocked up. We ordered a load of AZ; we gambled and lost. We have ordered 60M extra Pfizer but, because of Brexit, it will take 5 months."

Only kidding - did they heck!

Instead, they...

slammed the brakes on first doses rollout, (look at the graph of first doses; see if you can spot the wherls coming off with the 7th April AZ decision 😉 ) and desperately tried to eek out the remaining Pfizer from the 40M we had ordered back in 2020 while still under EU rules.

Adopting the Tory philosophy of "lie first and hope nobody notices" our vaccine rollout was slowed to a crawl and soon we were overtaken by Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Denmark etc.

The graph for teens over this period shows in Britain, Science is based on policy.

Summing up:
1. Brexit had NO bearing on our early vaccine rollout; it was approved and procured under EU rules.

2. Brexit massively DELAYED our vaccine rollout after AZ became contraindicated for under 40's.

3. These facts have not only been concealed by Gov and media alike

but in true 1984 fashion the truth has been completely reversed - we don't just have a lie we have an inversion of the truth, where:

1. We have "the fastest rollout in the World" (one of the slowest among similar countries actually)

2.Made possible by Brexit
(initial..

2.

fast vaccine orders made possible by EU rules, later delays to rollout *caused* by brexit actually)

And, what is truly tragic, is the big lie, through constant repetition has actually gained traction.

God help us all; noboby else will.

End.