JAB CALL
Boris Johnson is booked in to get Covid vaccine ‘shortly’ – and he’s getting AstraZeneca
BORIS Johnson has booked in for his own Covid jab - and he's getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The PM revealed the news today to MPs in the House of Commons - just hours after several EU nations said they were pausing their rollouts due to misplaced fears over the jab.
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He said at Prime Minister's Questions: “I finally got news that I've got to have my own jab."
And he added that it will “certainly be [the] Oxford AstraZeneca” one.
The Sun understands he's getting it this week - after his spokesperson said he was "perfectly happy" to get the UK-made Oxford jab.
It's believed that the NHS told him what type of jab he was getting due to the public interest around it.
It comes as the over 50s are now getting told to book their vaccines online, with the rollout continuing to go from strength to strength.
By the weekend, one in two in this country are expected to have been protected against the virus as the immunisation blitz ramps up.
But 18 European nations have now paused use of the Oxford vaccine over unsubstantiated reports it triggers blood clots.
Shameless France and Germany yesterday admitted their ban was political - as MPs accused them of sulking over Britain's more successful rollout.
Today the World Health Organisation recommended countries keep using the AstraZeneca jab, as the fallout from the pause continues.
A statement said: "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue."
The Health Secretary last night reassured Sun readers they had nothing to fear with the Oxford jab.
He hit back at the criticism from European nations who have paused the jab, despite their own regulator giving in the green light and promising it is safe.
Britain stormed through the 25million doses mark today.
In contrast the whole EU has only managed to administer 7.9% of its population at least one jab.
In an article for The Sun today, Mr Hancock urged people to keep getting the jab as there was no evidence it caused blood clots.
He wrote: "I want to reassure Sun readers — there is no evidence that vaccines caused these clots.
"Don’t just take my word for it — this is the view of the UK’s medicines regulator the MHRA, the European Medicines Agency, who reviewed the evidence just yesterday, the World Health Organisation and countless doctors and clinical experts who have made their views clear in these pages and elsewhere.
"Throughout our successful vaccine roll-out safety comes first, above all else, and the MHRA keeps careful watch to make sure the public are kept safe.
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"Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon."
Doctors and healthcare professionals in the UK have been inundated with worried Brits who have been spooked by the claims it may lead to health problems.
European Medicines Agency - Benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine continue to outweigh the risks