Just the beginning... 137k are vaccinated within the f irst week
MORE than 137,000 people in the UK were vaccinated against coronavirus in the first week of the programme, the Government said yesterday.
Minister Nadhim Zahawi, who oversees vaccination plans in England, said it was a ‘really good start’ for the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.
By the end of Tuesday, 137,897 people had received their first dose of the vaccine. This includes NHS staff, care home workers and over-80s.
Last week Margaret Keenan, 91, from Coventry, became the first person in the world to get the jab outside of medical trials.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘Thanks to the hard work of the NHS across the UK, over 137,000 people have already received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
‘This is just the start and we will steadily expand our vaccination programme – ultimately helping everyone get back to normal life.’
He said statistics showing the number of people who have received the vaccine will be published on a weekly basis following pressure for greater transparency.
Mr Hancock said at last week’s launch he hoped several million people can be vaccinated before
Christmas. But yesterday’s figures highlight the Herculean task facing the NHS.
At the present rate of about 20,000 vaccines a day it would take nearly four years for the 30million people in the priority groups to be vaccinated.
The UK’s biggest ever vaccination programme started last Tuesday at 70 hospitals across the country and was expanded to GP hubs this week.
About 200 GP-led vaccination clinics are expected to be up and running by the end of the week, with more to follow. Designated family doctors have been asked to operate from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, calling patients in for appointments by phone, text message and post.
Mass vaccination centres at sports grounds and conference centres are not expected to open until the new year, once the alternative Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has been approved by regulators.
To date, 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are known to be in the country, which is enough for 400,000 people.
Overall, the UK has ordered 40million doses, enough to vaccinate 20million people.
Over-80s and care home residents are top of the priority list, and ministers hope they will all be vaccinated by early next year.
Yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested: ‘If you have an elderly relative, you might want to delay seeing them until they’ve been vaccinated.’
There are some concerns that the UK is falling behind on vaccine delivery. Logistical challenges meant ministers were forced to row back on pledges to treat people in care homes first.
However, seven GP sites are starting to deliver vaccinations to care home residents this week ahead of a wider national push.
The UK has ordered 100million doses of the Oxford jab, and up to four million could be ready by December 31.
‘Get back to normal life’