UK hits nearly 500,000 Covid vaccinations A DAY as three-quarters of over-80s now jabbed

THE UK has nearly hit the target of giving out 500,000 Covid vaccinations A DAY as three-quarters of all over-80s have been jabbed.

Yesterday, 491,970 Brits were given the first dose of the Covid vaccine in a huge boost for the Government’s target of vaccinating 13.5million vulnerable people by mid-February.

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The figure marks an increase of 13,722 doses compared with January 22, when 478,248 jabs were given out.

It is also a significant jump on Thursday’s figure of 409,855.

The increase brings the total number of first-dose vaccinations in Britain to 6,353,321 since the beginning of the rollout on December 8. 

This morning, Matt Hancock revealed that over five million people in England have received both doses of their jab – with Britain vaccinating more people in three days than France has done during the entire pandemic.

Mr Hancock told Sky’s Sophie Ridge on Sunday: “(This) is absolutely brilliant progress.

“Similar number of care homes, around three quarters and in fact we’ve vaccinated more people in just the last three days than France has in the entire history of this disease.”

Despite the good news, Mr Hancock warned it is still a “long, long, long way” before Covid cases are low enough for lockdown to be lifted.

He said “early evidence” shows the tough lockdown measures are finally starting to bring the number of new infections down but he warned the NHS remains under “enormous” pressure.

The Health Secretary added: “The NHS are doing an amazing job in incredibly difficult circumstances and so we, I am confident in the measures that we’ve got in place now.

“What really matters is that everybody follows them and the reason for that is not just the death toll each day which is far too high but also because the pressure on the NHS – including from people who thankfully come out of hospital alive – the pressure on the NHS is enormous and that has knock-on consequences for people who suffer from all other illnesses.

“So it is very, very important that we continue to follow the rules, that’s at the core of it even whilst we do everything we can to support the NHS through this.”

GIFT OF THE JAB

Meanwhile, the UK’s Covid vaccine hotspots have been revealed, with one in eight adults having already received a jab in some areas.

Gloucestershire has the highest rate of vaccinations for over 18s – with 12.2 per cent having received the first dose.

The region also has the highest percentage of over 80s receiving a dose, with 85.3 per cent.

Hereford and Worcestershire also have had 12.2 per cent of over 18s getting the jab, with Lancashire and South Cumbria in third with 10.8 per cent.

In North East and West Cumbria, 10.2 per cent of adults have received the vaccine.

Northamptonshire rounds out the top five with 10 per cent of over 18s being given at least the first dose of the jab.

At the other end of the scale, London is lagging behind.

In East London, just 4.5 per cent of adults have been given the jab, while only five per cent of over 18s in North West London have received it.

Just over five per cent of adults in South East London and 5.8 per cent in North London have been given at least the first dose.

In Wales, only 4.8 per cent of over 18s have been at least partly vaccinated, and in Scotland 5.8 per cent have.

Meanwhile, Israel has started giving coronavirus jabs to teenagers with 40 per cent of its population now vaccinated.

More than 2.5 million of the country’s nine-million population have received inoculations already, according to the health ministry.

The vaccine rollout has stepped up a gear just days after Israel extended its third national lockdown due to soaring infection rates across the country.

The health ministry announced that jabs will now be administered to high school students, aged 16-18, whose parents provide approval.