Public hearings for the fourth part of the Covid-19 Inquiry are due to start on Tuesday, with former Health Secretary Matt Hancock set to give evidence this week.
The hearings, taking place from 14 January to 31 January, will examine the matters connected to the creation and deployment of vaccines in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Britain was the first country to roll out an approved Covid-19 vaccine throughout the world.
A historic nationwide vaccination programme aimed at combating the virus got underway on 8 December 2020, with doses manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna being made available.
At its peak, there were well over 4,000 accredited vaccination sites operational across NHS's seven regions and 153 local authorities.
Information from the NHS states that by 5 January 2025, over 175 million vaccinations had been given in England.
Module four of the COVID-19 inquiry will look into the development, purchasing, production, and approval of the vaccines and the measures taken to permit the use of novel treatments throughout the crisis.
It will examine obstacles to vaccine uptake, including faith in the jabs and difficulties gaining access, as well as concerns about vaccine safety and a suggested link between Covid-19 vaccines and heart problems.
The probe will also examine if changes are required to the UK Vaccine damage payment scheme – which grants a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000 to those left disabled due to vaccinations.
This week's evidence sessions will commence with opening statements from key parties involved, followed by testimony from representatives of grief-stricken families as well as organisations representing individuals affected by vaccine complications.
Matt Hancock, who served as health secretary from 2018 until June 2021, will be giving evidence on Thursday.
He will be succeeded by Professor Heidi Larson, a leading authority on vaccine hesitation.
On Friday, the sessions will feature appearances by Lord Alok Sharma, the former business secretary; Dr Clara Swinson, the former top official for global health and health protection at the Department of Health and Social Care; and Catherine Little, the former second-in-command at HM Treasury.
