Over the weekend, we hit yet another phenomenal achievement in our historic vaccine programme, with 60 million jabs in arms and over 4 in 10 adults fully vaccinated with two doses.
Health services across the UK have now administered a total of around 60.6 million vaccines since 8 December, including around 37.9 million people with their first dose (72%) and 22.6 million with both doses (43%), ensuring they have the strongest possible protection against COVID-19 from a second dose.
Getting vaccinated is the most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities against Covid-19. Our trailblazing vaccination programme - the biggest and most successful in NHS history - is another great British success story and a testament to what can be achieved when all four corners of country comes together to defeat this virus.
Public Health England analysis indicates that the COVID-19 vaccination programme has so far prevented 13,000 deaths and around 39,100 hospitalisations in older people in England, up to 9 May. The vaccine is saving thousands of lives and provides invaluable protection from this virus, so when you get the offer please come forward for the jab.
For more information on the vaccine programme following the phenomenal achievement of 60 million jabs, including comments from the Health and Social Care Secretary and the Vaccines Minister, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/60-million-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-administered-in-uk.
New evidence from Public Health England (PHE) has shown that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at protecting people against the variant of Covid-19 first identified in India. For more information on the new study by PHE that shows for the first time that 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vaccines-highly-effective-against-b-1-617-2-variant-after-2-doses.
Getting vaccinated is the most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities against Covid-19. That is why the Government is urging everyone to answer the call and book their jabs when offered – recognising the brilliant work being done by our scientists who have shown that vaccines are highly effective against the Covid-19 variant first identified in India.
Our vaccine programme is at the forefront of our fight against Covid-19 but the work is not done yet and we urge everyone to get both their jabs as soon as they are offered it.
Today, the Government has announced new measures to further support people to self-isolate, helping to stop the spread of the virus as we continue our fight against Covid-19.
Throughout the pandemic, the British public have made tremendous sacrifices – social distancing, self-isolating, getting tested and now getting the jab. However, we must remain vigilant to protect our hard-won progress. That is why the Government are launching nine pilots across England to test new, creative ways of encouraging people to self-isolate when required.]
In partnership with local authorities, the Government is backing the pilots with £12 million which will be used for a range of initiatives including providing alternative accommodation for people in overcrowded households, social care support such as increasing existing social care support for vulnerable adults and providing ‘buddying’ services for people whose mental health has been affected by lockdown and the variant outbreaks, and language communications support for individuals where English isn’t their first language. These pilots are designed to encourage people most at risk of catching and transmitting COVID-19 to come forward for testing and to self-isolate successfully if they test positive.
The Government recognises just how challenging self-isolation is for many people and these pilots will help us find the best ways to support people - making it easier for everyone to keep doing their bit as we continue our fight against the virus. For more information on the Government’s new self-isolation support pilots for 9 areas across England with higher coronavirus (COVID-19) rates, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-pilots-to-further-support-people-to-self-isolate.
