Over 20.2 million people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far across the United Kingdom. The NHS have administered over 21 million vaccines across the UK - averaging almost 2.5 million doses a week and have vaccinated almost 40 per cent of adults across the country.
Recent figures show that 94 per cent of those eligible have said they have either had a jab – or will get the jab when the call comes, and this is so important because each and every jab makes us all safer.
New data show vaccines reduce severe COVID-19 in older adults
Yesterday Public Health England published new data showing that both the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/Biotech vaccines are highly effective at reducing COVID-19 infections amongst older people – adding to the growing evidence showing that the vaccines are working to reduce infections and save lives.
Vaccines are at the heart of our strategy to manage the coronavirus, and their role in reducing hospitalisations and deaths will be essential as we begin to ease lockdown restrictions.
Yesterday’s report from PHE confirms that these vaccines are working, showing that a single shot of the vaccine works against severe infection amongst over-70s, with a more than 80 per cent reduction in hospitalisations for the over-80s – showing that the vaccine is helping to protect the NHS and save lives.
While this is fantastic news we are not out of the woods yet, and as we roll out the jab, it is vital people continue to play their role in protecting the NHS by sticking with the rules.
For more information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-data-show-vaccines-reduce-severe-covid-19-in-older-adults.
Brazilian variant of COVID-19
Regarding the Brazilian variant of COVID-19 in the UK, the Health and Social Care Secretary gave an update on the situation in his statement on COVID-19: 1 March 2021. He said:
Finally, I want to turn to the 6 cases of the variant of concern first identified in Manaus, in Brazil that we have identified here in the UK, 3 in Scotland and 3 in England. We know that 5 of these people quarantined at home – as they were legally required to do. We have been in contact with them and their families, and are grateful to them for understanding the seriousness of the situation. We are putting in place surge testing in South Gloucestershire, as a precaution and I urge everyone to remain vigilant.
One of the 6 completed a test but did not successfully complete contact details. We are therefore asking anyone who took a test on the 12 or 13 February but hasn’t received the result back, to please get in touch by calling 119 in England, Wales or Northern Ireland – and 0300 303 2713 in Scotland. And Susan Hopkins will give more information on this effort in a moment.
We identified these cases thanks to the UK’s advanced sequencing capabilities. We know about them because of NHS Test and Trace, and scientists around the world are now working to get ahead of some of the new coronavirus variants, looking at how a third vaccine dose could tackle these evolving mutations – much as we do with flu each year.”
To view the Health and Social Care Secretary's statement on COVID-19: 1 March 2021 in full, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/health-and-social-care-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-1-march-2021.
