The UK is starting to rollout the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech next week on Tuesday.
Business secretary Alok Sharma told the BBC he is “absolutely confident” that 800,000 doses will be available next week.
READ: Pfizer/BioNTech to deliver 50mln doses of COVID-19 vaccine worldwide this month
"Of course, by the end of this year we will expect some more doses to come through - I can't give you a number on that,” he added.
The first delivery of the jab has already arrived in the country and is held in an undisclosed location before being shipped to vaccination centres.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said around 50 hospital trusts will be involved in next week’s rollout.
Jonathan Van-Tam, England's deputy chief medical officer, said that the phase one of vaccinations could “in theory take out 99% of hospitalisations and deaths related to Covid 19”.
In fact, healthcare staff and vulnerable, elderly people will be the first ones to receive the jab.
The UK has secured 40mln doses, which are enough to immunise 20mln people, however it has not been decided yet when they will all be delivered.
BioNTech said earlier this week it would deliver 50mln doses of the inoculation to countries that are approving it by the end of this month.
However, all the doses being produced this year are not being delivered to the UK alone, which will receive a “fair allocation”, BioNTech chief business and chief commercial officer Sean Marett said.
Next week will be the start of a vaccine rollout for Russia as well, after President Vladimir Putin ordered the authorities to distribute the local jab Sputnik V.
According to interim results, the inoculation has 91% efficacy but experts worldwide have raised several questions over the available data.