Recommendation 21

The Taskforce also told us that the COVID-19 vaccine market was still developing and that it considered many different factors when deciding which vaccines to procure, including the evolution of the virus and improved learning about different types of vaccines and how they work.48 The Taskforce was confident that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines remained the most effective choice for boosters and that they would provide access to reformulations against emerging variant viruses if and when required.49 We note that the approval of the Valneva vaccine happened after the UK government cancelled its contract with Valneva.50 The Taskforce had previously told us it had procured this vaccine specifically because it used a different technology to provide a “broader range of immune response”.51 Deployment and workforce planning