Nearly one in 20 Britons have now had a coronavirus vaccine – 3.3million people – with almost 45 per cent of over-80s now having had the jab as Boris Johnson says UK is ‘steadily protecting those most at risk’
- PM said the latest statistics show that UK has now vaccinated 3.3million people
- That represents almost one in 20 people in the UK, with 45 per cent of over-80s
- Meanwhile, more than 100,000 older care home residents have now had the jab
- Boris Johnson praised rollout and said UK ‘steadily protecting those most at risk’
Boris Johnson today revealed that nearly one in 20 people in the UK has now received a coronavirus vaccine.
The Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference that some 3.3million people across the nation have now had a jab.
That includes approximately 1.3million people who are over the age of 80 – almost 45 per cent of that group.
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 older care home residents have been given the vaccine which is almost 40 per cent of the total.
Mr Johnson praised the speed of the UK’s vaccine roll-out as he said the Government is ‘steadily protecting those most at risk’.
However, the PM warned that ‘it would be fatal if this sense of progress were now to breed any kind of complacency because the pressures on the NHS are extraordinary’.
Boris Johnson announced this evening that more than 3.2million people across the UK have now received a coronavirus vaccine
Addressing the nation this evening, Mr Johnson said that ‘day by day, hour by hour, we are making such strides in protecting the population’.
‘We have now vaccinated over 3.2million people across the UK, doubling the numbers of last week, that is 2.8million in England, 225,000 in Scotland, 126,000 in Wales and 115,000 in Northern Ireland,’ he said.
‘Yesterday alone we vaccinated around a quarter of a million people in England, that is still far more than any other country in Europe.
‘And with almost 45 per cent of our over-80s now vaccinated and almost 40 per cent of care home residents, we are steadily protecting those most at risk.’
The Government has set an ambition of vaccinating the 13.9million most vulnerable people in the UK by the middle of February.
Mr Johnson urged the nation to stick to national lockdown rules and to stay at home as much as possible.
Spelling out the massive strain being felt by hospitals across the UK, the premier said: ‘As you know this country is engaged in the biggest and fastest vaccination programme in our history and the chances are that you know someone personally who has already received a vaccine.
‘But it would be fatal if this sense of progress were now to breed any kind of complacency because the pressures on the NHS are extraordinary.
‘On Tuesday we saw 4,134 new admissions to hospital on a single day, the highest at any point in this pandemic.
‘There are now more than 37,000 Covid patients in hospitals across the UK and in spite of all the efforts of our doctors and nurses and our medical staff we are now seeing cancer treatments sadly postponed, ambulances queuing and intensive care units spilling over into adjacent wards.
‘With 55,761 positive cases since yesterday and very sadly 1,280 deaths, this is not the time for the slightest relaxation of our national resolve and our individual efforts.
‘So please stay at home, please protect the NHS and save lives and please remember that this disease can be passed on not just by standing too near someone in a supermarket queue but also by handling something touched by an infected person.’