London Mayor Sadiq Khan receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

19 February 2021, 12:56 | Updated: 19 February 2021, 16:13

Sadiq Khan receives first dose of coronavirus vaccine

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Mr Khan visited a vaccine centre located at the Mitcham Lane Baptist Church in south-west London on Friday morning.

He was asked by his GP to receive the vaccine in the current phase of the rollout due to his asthma.

READ MORE: Over 40s could be offered Covid-19 jabs ‘within the next few weeks’

READ MORE: Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine 85% effective after first dose, study finds

He said: "I am delighted, relieved and incredibly grateful to not just the scientists who invented this vaccine but to the NHS and volunteers who are working so hard."

Mr Khan added that he received the Pfizer vaccine from a reverend he knows, adding she got her licence back to give the jab to him and others.

"This church my daughter used perform ballet in, so it's a church special to us," he said.

On Twitter, the London mayor urged others to get their vaccination, writing: "My message to anyone who is unsure about having the vaccine: it is safe, effective and will save lives."

It comes as cases in the capital, which peaked at 100,246 in the week to January 9, continue to plummet.

Fifteen boroughs have now dropped below a seven-day rate of 100 new infections per 100,000 people.

In the week to February 14, the boroughs with the lowest case rates were Camden, (160 cases at a rate of 59.3), Islington (155 cases at a rate of 63.9) and Westminster (171 cases at a rate of 65.4).

The boroughs with the highest case rates were Ealing (616 cases at a rate of 180.2), Hillingdon (501 cases at a rate of 163.3) and Hounslow (439 cases at a rate of 161.7).

One in 100 people in London are now likely to test positive for coronavirus, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Sadiq Khan: 'If it were me bus drivers and officers would be vaccinated by now'

The full figures for London show:

In Southwark there were 245 cases at a rate of 76.8, Richmond 161 cases at a rate of 81.3, Barnet 399 cases at a rate of 100.8, Greenwich 258 cases at a rate of 89.6, Redbridge 317 cases at a rate of 103.9, Croydon 390 cases at a rate of 100.9, Hounslow 439 cases at a rate of 161.7, Hackney and City of London 224 cases at a rate of 77.0, Newham 414 cases at a rate of 117.2, Lewisham 245 cases at a rate of 80.1, Lambeth 351 cases at a rate of 107.7, Hillingdon 501 cases at a rate of 163.3 and Westminster 171 cases at a rate of 65.4.

Tower Hamlets saw 221 cases at a rate of 68.1, Haringey 259 cases at a rate of 96.4, Harrow 328 cases at a rate of 130.6, Enfield 289 cases at a rate of 86.6, Brent 478 cases at a rate of 144.9, Wandsworth 298 cases at a rate of 90.4, Waltham Forest 285 cases at a rate of 102.9, Bromley 276 cases at a rate of 83.0, Kensington and Chelsea 139 cases at a rate of 89.0, Ealing 616 cases at a rate of 180.2, Bexley 243 cases at a rate of 97.9, Kingston 202 cases at a rate of 113.8, Camden 160 cases at a rate of 59.3, Merton 290 cases, at a rate of 140.4, Barking and Dagenham 326 cases at a rate of 153.1, Islington 155 cases at a rate of 63.9, Havering 260 cases at a rate of 100.2, and Hammersmith and Fulham 235 cases at a rate of 126.9.