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Boris Johnson is getting the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine today after reassuring Brits the jab IS safe
BORIS Johnson will get the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine today - after reassuring worried Brits that the jab is safe.
The PM revealed his good news at last night's press conference, just hours after EU nations were told by their health regulator that the Oxford jab is "safe and effective".
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The Prime Minister told Brits last night: "The Oxford jab is safe and the Pfizer jab is safe.
"The thing that isn't safe is catching Covid, which is why it's so important that we all get our jabs as soon as our turn comes.
"As it happens I'm getting mine tomorrow, and the centre where I'm getting jabbed is currently using the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ... and that is the one I'll be having.
"Get that jab when your turn comes. Let's get the jab done."
The PM will today join the millions of Brits who have already been inoculated in our world-class battle against Covid.
The UK's vaccine rollout continues to go from strength to strength, with all over 50s now being told to book their jabs online.
Almost 26 million Brits have now received their first jab, while more than 1.8 million have been given their second dose.
By the weekend, one in two in this country are expected to have been protected against the virus as the immunisation blitz ramps up.
It comes as...
- Brits suffering with a headache for up to four days after receiving a coronavirus vaccine should seek medical help, experts have warned
- Ministers admitted that UK jabs would be delayed, and there would be a renewed push to make sure every over 50 has got it first
- The jab won't be rolled out to the under 50s yet over a "lumpy" supply
- Shielding will end on March 31 for nearly four million people
- EU leaders threatened to seize factories and block exports to divert supply to the bloc
- It was reported that Indian Government may be considering holding some of the jabs back
Yesterday the European Medicines Agency gave the jab the green light across Europe, despite several states pausing the rollout over fears it could lead to blood clots.
UK ministers have stressed the jab is safe and there's no extra risk of blood clots as a result. Scientists said there's a higher risk of developing one from catching Covid itself.
Last night the EU made the major U-turn on the suspension of the Oxford jab with its regulator saying it's "safe and effective".
Emer Cooke, executive director of the EMA, said their "clear scientific conclusion" is that the vaccine is "safe and effective".
She said: "Its benefits in protecting people from Covid-19, with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation, outweigh the possible risks.
"The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events, or blood clots."
The World Health Organisation also recommended countries keep using the AstraZeneca jab.
A statement said: "At this time, WHO considers that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh its risks and recommends that vaccinations continue."
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Ministers last night admitted that the jabs rollout would slow down after this month as a result of supply issues.
It has been suggested that the problems with Britain's vaccine supply is somewhat due to a delay in a shipment from India of five million AstraZeneca jabs.
Mr Johnson said that all second doses would still be given, and there would be more doses available than in February, he claimed.
He also stressed that there was "no change to the next steps of the roadmap" and Britain would continue to unlock if the data continued to go in the right direction.
The PM added: "Our progress along the road to freedom continues, unchecked.
"We remain on track to reclaim the things we love, to see our families and friends again, to return to our local pubs, our gyms, our sports facilities and of course, our shops."
It comes after the EU earlier this week threatened to seize factories on the continent making the jab and divert them to its own supply.
Just nine per cent of the EU has been jabbed compared to nearly half of Britain's adult population.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab hit out yesterday at the EU's comments over blocking vaccine supply over their own shambolic rollout.
Mr Raab said: "Different countries have different approaches but I can tell you crystal clear the UK regulator, the EU regulator, and the WHO all say that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and people should continue to take it.
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"It is safe, people should get the vaccine. It has been very clear from the MHRA, the UK regulator, that the risks of taking the vaccine are no more than, in terms of for example blood clots, than the population at large.
"There is no extra risk on the evidence that we've seen, which is why they have authorised the vaccine and haven't taken any further action.
"We respect the process and procedures that some other countries may need to go through but the vaccine is safe and people should certainly continue to take it and to protect themselves and their friends and family."
The MHRA issued a statement last week saying more than 11 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been administered across the UK with no issues.
And Mr Hancock wrote in The Sun to reassure readers they had nothing to worry about and there were no additional risks with taking it.
Meanwhile, coronavirus deaths have today HALVED in a week - with 95 fatalities and 6,303 cases recorded yesterday.
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Yesterday's figures were significantly lower than last Thursday's 181 deaths and 6,753 cases.
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It means a total of 4,280,882 have tested positive for the bug in Britain since the start of the pandemic, while 125,926 have died.
On Wednesday, another 5,758 new cases of the bug were confirmed - down 54 per cent on the 12,718 recorded four weeks ago.
WHO Europe says benefits of AstraZeneca vaccine 'far outweigh its risk' and its use 'should continue to save lives'