Quarter of adults have had 2 doses
ONE in four adults in the UK is fully vaccinated against Covid, with a record number of second doses delivered in the past week.
NHS England yesterday extended the offer of a first jab to anyone aged 42 and over. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, 42, posted a photo of a vial on Twitter and wrote: ‘I’m really looking forward to getting my text.’
The Department of Health said the UK had administered 47,045,391 jabs, made up of 33,843,580 first doses and 13,201,811 second doses.
Professor Stephen Powis, medical director for NHS England, said: ‘Just two weeks after rolling out the vaccine to those aged 45 and over, we are now ready to invite those aged 42 and 43, as the largest vaccination programme in NHS history continues at speed.
‘If you receive a text inviting you to book in for your jab, please follow the instructions provided – it is simple, effective and provides vital protection against the coronavirus.’
But a new report warned the rollout must go even faster to avoid a third wave.
The paper from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change says vaccinating adolescents and returning the pace of the rollout to its March peak would prevent a summer spike entirely. And it warns the Government should delay step four of the roadmap by a month if this cannot be achieved.
This would mean all limits on social contact would not be released until July 21, rather than June 21 as planned.
Ian Mulheirn, UK policy director at the institute, said: ‘Despite the success of the vaccine rollout, we’re not out of the woods yet. But the Government has the power to stop a deadly third wave of the virus by expanding the vaccination programme to adolescents and bringing the final step of the easing of the roadmap into line with the vaccine rollout timetable.
‘Being prepared to change the strategy could save thousands of lives and the Government should ask its advisers to explore these options now.’
It came as a study showed that just one in four people in the UK have experienced mild side-effects after getting the vaccine.
Researchers at King’s College London looked at data from more than 620,000 Britons who have received either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca jab from the NHS.
Two thirds suffered a tender arm after the jab, but just one in four had ‘systemic’ side effects elsewhere. Headaches, fatigue and chills were the most common symptoms.
The study shows there have been fewer side effects in the real-world vaccine programme than clinical trials had suggested, providing a major boost for the rollout.