UK ‘nearly on home straight’ after 324,000 given dose in single day

HEALTH Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK is “nearly on the home straight” as 324,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered in the space of 24 hours.

More than 3.5 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of a vaccine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as he hailed those helping the “fantastic national effort”.

Two vaccines have been rolled out in the UK, with a third – developed by Moderna – also approved for use.

Mr Hancock, writing in The Sunday Express, said: “We can see the way out of this pandemic. We are nearly on the home straight.

“After months of detailed preparations, rigorous scientific scrutiny and an extraordinary amount of patience, we are rolling out two highly effective vaccines, with a third coming in spring and others progressing through clinical trials.

“We’re rolling it out to as many vulnerable people as possible and we expect tens of millions of people to be vaccinated by the spring.”

Ministers are urging the public to “play their part” in supporting the vaccination programme, such as by helping the elderly to attend their appointments.

And Mr Hancock, who became Health Secretary in 2018, said people should also sign up to clinical trials for vaccines and treatments, and stay informed with accurate and trusted NHS advice.

He urged the public to commit to “three pledges” to support the rollout, saying: “Everyone has a part to play in this national effort – to protect our NHS, our loved ones and other people’s loved ones too.”