Covid: UK vaccinates 15 million people

Boris Johnson hails ‘significant milestone’ as most vulnerable groups get first jabs

More than 15 million people across the UK have been given their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the government.

Boris Johnson described the achievement as an “extraordinary feat” that had taken “a truly national effort”.

The prime minister also claimed that England had hit its target of offering a vaccine to everyone in the top four priority groups. The Welsh government said it met this target on Friday.

Mr Johnson had promised that a dose of the vaccine would be offered by 15 February to everyone over the age of 70 and everyone who was clinically extremely vulnerable.

While the government is expected to announce on Monday that its pledge has been met, concerns have been raised that some housebound elderly people have not even been contacted. The figures also do not mean that everyone in the priority groups has actually received a vaccine.

The NHS vaccine programme has been the fastest in Europe, with an average of about 435,000 people a day getting a jab over the past week across the UK.

In a video statement issued on Sunday, Mr Johnson said: “It has been a truly national, UK-wide effort. We have done it together.

“And in England, I can tell you we have now offered jabs to everyone in the first four priority groups – the people most likely to be severely ill from coronavirus – hitting the first target we set ourselves.”

But he added that “no one is resting on their laurels”.

“We’ve still got a long way to go to. And there will undoubtedly be bumps in the road. But after all we've achieved, I know we can go forward with great confidence.”

The minister for Covid-19 vaccine deployment, Nadhim Zahawi, wrote on Twitter: “15 million! Amazing team. We will not rest till we offer the vaccine to the whole of phase 1, the 1 to 9 categories of the most vulnerable and all over-50s by [the] end [of] April and then all adults.”

Ministers now want to vaccinate all nine priority groups – all those over 50, and everyone in a clinically vulnerable group – before the beginning of May.

After that, vaccinations for the rest of the population will go ahead.

A strategy of prioritising first doses of the vaccine, with a longer period before a follow-up dose, appears to be paying off, with mounting evidence that the approach offers strong protection.

But the numbers of cases are still high and the government hinted on Sunday that it could be months before significant changes are made to lockdown measures.

In a statement, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “I’m so proud of the team – we’ve hit this fantastic milestone in our battle against Covid-19. In less than 10 weeks we’ve jabbed over 15 million people across the UK.

“That’s one in every four adults now starting to receive protection from this dreadful disease.

“This accomplishment is thanks to the incredible efforts of frontline NHS workers, vaccine volunteers, the armed forces and all those working in local and central government. The vaccine rollout shows what our country can achieve working together.

“There is so much more to do and I urge anyone eligible to step forward and take up their appointment. The vaccine is our route to freedom – we will beat this virus jab by jab.”

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said the government needed to “lock in the gains of vaccination”.

“Our NHS staff, armed forces and volunteers deserve huge congratulations on the ongoing successful rollout of the vaccination programme. They are true heroes and make the whole country proud,” he said.

“It’s now crucial that, as we move towards second jabs for the most vulnerable and the first jabs for the next groups, ministers lock in the gains of vaccination. This means putting in place measures to further reduce the spread of Covid, including decent financial self-isolation support, updated mask wearing guidance and help for workplaces to be Covid-secure.

“We have already seen the virus mutate. It’s urgent more is done to reduce its spread while vaccination continues at pace.”