Thread on Vaccine Roll Out Target which appeared out of nowhere

Was odd logic from Hancock on #R4Today yesterday to avoid giving target for Vaccine Jabs on grounds achievement dependent on supply

Matty cagey on a target - having set all sorts of targets for Tests
1/

With Vaccine Roll Out is clear strategic aim . Which is to cover population with initial target being 5 bands of vulnerable people and other priorities

At 2m a week (4 times winter flu programme) would take until first week in May
2/

And supply of 2m a week doesn’t seem to be an issue according to the manufacturers

So no good reason for Matty not to set target . At least 2m a week -to be increased ASAP
3/

But by evening suddenly the caution was abandoned and a target was unveiled - accompanied by a flurry of emojis from Minister for Vaccine Delivery 4/ https://twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1346190788041048069

Andrea Leadsom joined in - proclaiming the clarity of the target

Which apparently hadn’t existed a few hours earlier when Hancock was so cagey on #Today
5/ https://twitter.com/andrealeadsom/status/1346188211803082752

Let’s be clear . The government needs to have an ambitious weekly target for Vaccinations . But it needs to be grounded in a sustainable delivery plan which brings together available resources in an integrated way

Avoiding the top down centralised approach of Test and Trace
6/

Frankly the signs aren’t good . Look at what two Directors of Public Health have to say about ‘command and control ‘ mindset
7/ https://twitter.com/brucemcd23/status/1346185852913934337

And obvious question that arises from Nadhim Zahawi’s emoji laden tweet is where is worked up and sustainable delivery plan for a target that didn’t apparently exist few hours earlier

We desperately need Vaccine Roll Out to work

Please don’t turn it into 2021’s Test & Trace 8/