Production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been suspended after a factory that produces and stores vital doses of the jab was sent a ‘suspicious package’ today.
The Wockhardt pharmaceutical facility at Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales has been evacuated after staff received the parcel this morning.
Wockhardt provides fill-and-finish services for the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine and is capable of producing up to 300 million doses of the vital jab each year.
Pictures taken at the site show bomb disposal vehicles and several police officers at the scene.
A cordon has been put in place near the plant and the public have been asked to keep away.
A factory that produces and stores vital doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was ‘partially evacuated’ after it was sent a ‘suspicious package’ today. Pictured: Emergency workers at the scene
The Wockhardt vaccine facility in Wrexham this morning received a suspicious package. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene
A bomb disposal squad was called to the Wockhardt pharmaceutical facility at Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales after staff received the parcel this morning. Pictured: Emergency workers at the scene
Last week emergency teams were called out to Wrexham Industrial Estate to protect supplies of the Oxford jab from flood water. Pictured: Police at the Wockhardt facility today
A spokeswoman said: ‘All production on site has been paused while the investigation is under way.’
But she added that ‘a few hours is not going to make a huge amount of difference to the production’.
She said she could not give information on quantities of vaccine on site but that production ‘had been proceeding at pace to meet the Government contract for 100 million vaccine doses’.
A statement from the company said: ‘The safety of our employees and business continuity remains of paramount importance.’
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence said an explosive ordnance disposal team based in Chester was called out just after 11.30am and was assisting the authorities in Wrexham.
Downing Street is being kept up to date on developments, a Number 10 spokesman said.
Wockhardt (file image, pictured) provides fill-and-finish services for the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine and is capable of producing up to 300 million doses of the vital jab each year
Police are seen directing traffic outside the Wockhardt pharmaceutical facility at Wrexham Industrial Estate today
A North Wales Police spokesperson said: ‘We are currently dealing with an ongoing incident on the Wrexham Industrial Estate.
‘The roads are currently closed and we would ask the public to avoid the area until further notice.’
John Roberts – the boss of a business next to the Wockhardt factory – claims he heard ‘a hell of an explosion or a bang’ shortly before 12pm.
He told BBC News: ‘I went outside, couldn’t see anything. I looked the other side and two blokes were on the roof.
‘The next thing the police had blocked off the road and were looking in the bushes.’
Dave Picken, 53, who lives near Wrexham Industrial Estate, said: ‘We’ve seen lots of police cars and a fire engine.
‘Bomb disposal are here with a robot.
‘We were closer to the factory but police told us to move and cordoned off a bigger area.
A North Wales Police spokesperson said: ‘The roads are currently closed and we would ask the public to avoid the area until further notice.’ Pictured: Police directing traffic outside the estate
‘I did ask an officer how big the bomb is but he said he couldn’t say it’s a bomb.’
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford took to Twitter writing: ‘We are working with local police and the military to find out more about this incident.
‘Thank you to the security personnel who are on-site to protect lives and ensure the safety of our vaccine supply.
‘This highlights the vital role they play in keeping us all safe.’
Gary Creighton – who lives near the industrial estate – said he was notified of the incident today by a friend who works at the the Wockhardt factory.
Mr Creighton said he believed the incident was a ‘bomb threat by antivaxxers’.
There is nothing to suggest the investigation will impede vaccine production (police at the scene, pictured)
He added: ‘The bomb squad is currently at Wrexham Industrial Estate following a threat.
‘It’s where the bottles for the Covid vaccine are being produced and nearby buildings have now been evacuated.’
Last week emergency teams were called out to Wrexham Industrial Estate to protect supplies of the Oxford jab from flood water.
Excess water surrounded buildings at Wockhardt’s pharmaceutical facility during a deluge of rain caused by Storm Christoph.
A police officer is seen directing traffic near to the Wrexham Industrial Estate where the Wockhardt factory received a suspicious package
A North Wales Police spokesperson said: ‘We are currently dealing with an ongoing incident on the Wrexham Industrial Estate’ (police at the site, pictured)
Gary Creighton – who lives near the industrial estate – said he was notified of the incident today by a friend who works at the the Wockhardt factory. Pictured: Police at the scene
The warehouse appeared completely empty with no equipment or machinery visible at the time.
The vaccines were believed to have been moved to a different, secret location.
The leader of Wrexham County Borough said authorities worked ‘through the night’ to ensure that the site was not overwhelmed by flood water.
Mark Pritchard said on Thursday morning resources such as gullies had been put in place to protect the vaccine storage facility on the industrial estate.
‘I’m sure you are aware that the Oxford vaccine is manufactured there and we had to work with the company logistically with their storage facility, that was under possibility of flooding,’ he told Sky News.
‘So we worked through the night with that and that was a success. This could have had an impact not just in Wrexham, Wales, but across the whole country with the vaccination supplies.’