Two-thirds of 75-to-79-year-olds have received first Covid vaccine jab, Hancock reveals

30 January 2021, 18:34 | Updated: 30 January 2021, 19:42

Two in three 75-79-year-olds have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine
Two in three 75-79-year-olds have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Picture: PA
Nick Hardinges

By Nick Hardinges

Two-thirds of 75-to-79-year-olds have received their first Covid jab along with five in six people aged over 80, Matt Hancock has revealed.

The health secretary's announcement came as the UK neared a total of nine million vaccinations on Saturday, according to the latest government data.

So far, nearly 8.9 million jabs have been administered up to 29 January - a daily increase of more than 480,000 - of which more than 8.3 million were first doses.

Some 480,432 follow-up shots have been given, an increase of 2,178 on the figures released the previous day.

Mr Hancock thanked everyone involved in Britain's vaccine rollout, adding that the country "will get through this together".

Read more: UK records another 1,200 Covid deaths as vaccinations near 9 million

Read more: UK 'confident' over vaccine supplies despite EU row, Gove says

Tory MP describes how vaccine hesitancy can be defeated

He wrote on Twitter: "VACCINE UPDATE: 5 in 6 over-80s, 2 in 3 75-79-year-olds have now been vaccinated for COVID.

"THANK YOU to all involved in rolling-out the vaccine across the whole UK.

"We will get through this together."

Britain's seven-day rolling average of first doses is now 359,656.

For the government to reach its target of 15 million initial inoculations by 15 February, that figure would need to average 413,816.

On Saturday, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said the UK is "fully on course" to hit that target of vaccinating the 15 million most vulnerable individuals in the UK by mid-February.

Read more: EU 'admits mistake' following U-turn on NI vaccine controls

Explained: What is the difference between the five Covid-19 vaccines?

He told reporters he is "confident" Covid vaccine supplies will reach the UK as planned and that the country's vaccination programme will not be affected by the EU's bitter row with AstraZeneca and its Article 16 U-turn.

Mr Gove said it was made clear between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen that jab supplies would not be interrupted.

It comes despite the bloc's export controls and demands for British-manufactured jabs.

The minister said: "We're confident that we can proceed with our vaccine programmes exactly as planned.

"Last night the prime minister talked to President von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and made clear that we need to have the contracts that have been entered into honoured properly.

"And it was made clear that that supply would not be interrupted so we can proceed with our plans and make sure that our so far highly-successful vaccination programme can continue."

Professor Robin Shattock answers listeners' questions on vaccines

However, another 1,200 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, Saturday's figures show.

The number brings Britain's coronavirus death toll since the pandemic began to 105,571.

However, separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show that mortalities have actually surpassed 122,000.

That data includes deaths where the virus has been mentioned on death certificates and adds mortalities that have occurred in recent days.

The UK has also recorded a further 23,275 lab-confirmed cases, bringing the tally so far to 3,796,088.

Both the deaths and infections reported today represent a drop on last Saturday's figures, when 1,348 people died and a further 33,552 infections were recorded.

Oksana Pyzik on Novavax & AstraZeneca vaccine news

Three vaccines have already been approved for use in the UK - the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca drugs, currently being rolled out, and another by Moderna, although supplies of that are not expected to arrive until spring.

A fourth jab could be approved for use in the UK within weeks after late-stage trials suggested it was 89 per cent effective in preventing the virus.

The UK has secured 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine - to be produced on Teesside - which was shown to be 89.3 per cent effective at preventing coronavirus in participants in its Phase 3 clinical trial in the UK.

Less than 24 hours later, Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical arm Janssen announced its single-shot jab is 66 per cent effective overall at preventing moderate to severe coronavirus 28 days after vaccination.

The UK has ordered 30 million doses of the vaccine, with deliveries expected in the second half of this year if the jab is approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says