Yesterday, we reached the significant milestone of offering a vaccine to all those in priority groups 1 – 9 ahead of our target date of 15 April - meaning the most vulnerable in society have been given precious protection against COVID-19 and allowing us to move forwards in our vaccine programme.
This means that all adults over 50, the clinically vulnerable and health and social care workers have now been offered a life-saving COVID-19 jab, nearly 40 million of which have been given in total, and we can prepare to move into the next phase of our vaccination programme following advice from the JCVI on how to carry this out.
We have administered a total of 39.9 million vaccines across the UK, with over 32.1 million people across the UK now having received their first 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.
Over 7.6 million people have received their second dose, with a record total of 475,230 second doses were administered on Saturday - along with 111,109 first doses - meaning those most vulnerable to the virus now have the best possible protection. We are encouraging everyone to take up their second dose when it's their turn, to ensure maximum protection.
Public Health England analysis has indicated that 10,400 lives have already been prevented through the vaccine programme in the over-60s. This analysis takes into account the direct effects of vaccines, there is now increasing evidence that vaccines help to reduce transmission, therefore it is likely that an even higher number of deaths will have been prevented.
From today, in another milestone for our vaccine programme, the NHS will begin rolling out the Moderna vaccine across England. 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.
We are grateful to everyone involved in the vaccine rollout which has already saved many thousands of lives, and we will continue to progress towards our target of offering all adults a vaccine by the end of July.
Easing of Lockdown – Step Two
Yesterday, shops, gyms, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants reopened in a major step forward in our roadmap to freedom – and we urge everyone to continue to behave responsibly as we push on with our vaccination programme.
Yesterday we reached the second phase of our cautious easing of lockdown restrictions as part of our route back to a more normal way of life. Outside, six people or two households can meet - even in private gardens. However, you should continue to work from home if you can, minimise the number of journeys you make where possible and mixing indoors with people not in your household or bubble is still not allowed.
The following is now permitted or allowed to open:
- All shops
- Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close-contact services
- Restaurants and pubs (serving food and alcohol to customers sitting outdoors)
- Gyms, spas, zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres
- Holidays in England in self-contained accommodation by members of the same household
- Non-essential journeys between England and Wales
- Weddings - up to 15 people
- Funerals - up to 30 people, with 15 at wakes
- Indoor children's activities
- Two care home visitors per resident
- Driving lessons - with driving tests restarting on 22 April
Whilst this will be a relief for business owners, and a chance for everyone to get back to doing many of the things they’ve missed, we urge everyone to continue to behave responsibly and remember ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’. For more information on what restrictions have been lifted in Step Two of the roadmap, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021#roadmap.
