On Monday, we reached our target to vaccinate the most vulnerable by the 15th of April - meaning that we can now begin to vaccinate those aged over 45 as we continue to progress towards our target of offering all adults across the UK a vaccine by the end of July.

We have met our target to vaccinate the most vulnerable by the 15th of April, meaning that all those in the target groups 1-9  have now been offered a life-saving Covid-19 jab. We have administered a total of 40.1 million vaccines across the UK, with over 32.2 million people across the UK now having received their first dose and over 7.8 million people have received their second dose, helping to cut infection rates and reduce the spread of the virus. We have now vaccinated 3 in 5 adults across our United Kingdom and more than 1 in 10 adults have now been fully vaccinated.

That is why, in line with JCVI recommendations to prioritise people by age, we are now opening up invitations to receive a vaccine to all those aged 45 and over. To book or manage your coronavirus vaccination, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/.

Prioritising those at increased risk from the virus will ensure that we save the most lives as we continue to progress towards our target of offering all adults across the UK a vaccine by the end of July.

Following a successful start last week in Wales, the Moderna vaccine is now being rolled-out in England as of yesterday, meaning the UK now has three safe and effective vaccines being rolled out across the country. More than 20 sites will initially use this newest vaccine. For those aged 18-29 who are eligible for a jab, the Moderna vaccine provides another alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, in line with updated MHRA guidance last week.

For more information on the Government hitting their vaccination target, including comments from the Prime Minister, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-hits-vaccination-target-as-pm-praises-precious-protection-offered-by-jabs.

To view the UK health ministers’ statement on JCVI advice for phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-health-ministers-statement-on-jcvi-advice-13-april-2021.