9.2 million first vaccine doses administered so far in UK, Matt Hancock confirms
1 February 2021, 17:37
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that more than 9.2 million first Covid-19 doses have been administered so far across the UK, calling the operation a "mammoth effort".
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Matt Hancock said: "I'm so proud of the team who have now vaccinated 9.2 million people across the UK. That includes 931,204 vaccinations just this weekend.
"To put that into context, that's one in every 60 adults in the whole United Kingdom vaccinated in one single weekend. It's a mammoth effort."
Mr Hancock has said the UK currently has 400 million doses of vaccine on order.
"My attitude has always been we protect every UK citizen as fast as we can and at the same time we're generous around the world," he continued.
The Health Secretary also spoke about the vaccine rollout as a "global effort", adding that the AstraZeneca vaccine is currently the only vaccine being deployed globally at cost.
"We will play our part to ensure the whole world can get the jab," he said.
Government data up to January 31 shows of the 9,790,576 jabs given in the UK so far, 9,296,367 were first doses - a rise of 319,038 on the previous day's figures.
Some 494,209 were second doses, an increase of 3,156 on figures released the previous day.
Read more: Urgent testing in parts of England after 11 cases of South Africa variant found
Read more: PM: Signs lockdown is working but too early to 'take foot off throat of the beast'
The seven-day rolling average of first doses given in the UK is now 388,971.
Based on the latest figures, an average of 407,402 first doses of vaccine would be needed each day in order to meet the Government's target of 15 million first doses by February 15.
Also at the Downing Street press conference, Mr Hancock said almost nine in 10 of all those aged over 80 had been vaccinated, with over half of those in their 70s receiving a jab.
He added: "We have visited every single care home with older residents in England and offered vaccinations to all of their residents and staff - this has been an incredible example of health and social care working together."
Mr Hancock said that the UK has now ordered another 40 million vaccine doses from Valneva, adding that the UK is continuing with its "no regrets" attitude to backing vaccines that have yet to be approved.
He said that if it gains approval, the Valneva vaccine will be manufactured in Livingston in Scotland.
"We didn’t start this pandemic with a large scale, on shore vaccine manufacturing capability so we’re building one all across the United Kingdom," he said.
"And the vaccine programme just goes to show how important it is, the whole UK working as one, together. ‘We now have over 400 million doses of vaccines on order."
