Record number of vaccines given every day for a week
More than 5.9 million booster and third doses have been delivered in seven days
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Your support makes all the difference.Record numbers of people in the UK came forward for Covid vaccines each day for a week, figures show.
Daily UK vaccine totals from Thursday last week to Wednesday this week continuously beat the previous one-day record set in March – although take-up of booster and third doses then slowed on Thursday, in the run-up to Christmas.
The run of seven record-breaking days also led to week-on-week increases in daily jabs being given.
On Wednesday this week, the UK recorded 932,501 first, second and booster jabs. They included 840,038 booster vaccines; the day before it was 968,665, and last Saturday it was 940,606.
However, numbers slowed after Wednesday. A total of 605,561 extra doses of vaccine were recorded on Thursday - the lowest daily figure since 13 December.
More than 5.9 million booster and third doses have been delivered in the past seven days.
The slowdown might reflect the level of Covid-19 infections, because people are not eligible to receive a vaccine within 28 days of having had the virus.
The one-day tally of new cases and overall levels of infections are at their highest ever, official figures on Christmas Eve showed.
Earlier this month, Boris Johnson announced the government would be further ramping up the vaccine rollout.
The previous record for daily vaccine totals, of 844,285, was set on 20 March, the government said.
In all, around 130 million jabs in total have been given in the UK.
However, less than two-thirds of UK adults - around 60 per cent – have received a booster.
Health secretary Sajid Javid said: “It is testament to the wonderful NHS and its tireless frontline workers and supportive volunteers that the vaccine programme has stepped up so rapidly.
“The record-breaking days are extremely encouraging – especially with increases in first and second jabs – but we still need all those eligible to come forward as soon as possible.
“The booster jab in particular is vital to top up protection against Omicron, to keep not only yourself safe, but also your family and your community. Please do not delay.”
Vaccination centres are being run in shopping centres, football stadiums and even buses, as well as community halls.
NHS England has launched a recruitment drive for 10,000 new vaccinators, administration staff, healthcare support workers and volunteers to join the national vaccination mission.
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