PEOPLE over 70s who have not yet been offered a Covid-19 vaccination are being urged to contact the NHS or their local GP surgery.
Speaking at this evening’s press briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is now two months to the day since Margaret Keenan got her first jab – the first person in the World to be vaccinated with a clinically authorised vaccine for Coronavirus.”
He revealed more than 12.2million people across the UK has been vaccinated – equating to one in four.
Mr Hancock said, although research showed the UK had a positive attitude to the jab, the response to the vaccine had been better than the Government expected.
In all 91 per cent of the over 80s and 95 per cent of those aged between 70 and 79 had now received a first dose.
Every eligible care home has been visited – the take up there is 93 per cent.
Speaking to those over 70 who had not yet had the jab he said: “Until now we have said ‘please wait for the NHS to contact you’ but now that message is changing.
“If you live in England and are 70 and over and have not yet received an appointment, please contact the NHS.
“The easiest way to do this is through the national booking service – at nhs.uk or by calling 119.”
He said alternatively people could contact their local GP practice.
He added the Government was on track to meet its target – across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – of vaccinating 15million people in the top four priority groups by February 15.
He said for the people in the other home nations, their local health team would be in touch.
He praised everyone who had helped with the vaccination programme and those who had come forward to receive it.
On testing he said the UK was testing 4.5million people every week.
Other statistics included that there were still 29,326 patients with Covid in hospitals across the
UK – still more than the peaks in April and November.
On average there had been 841 deaths per day in the past seven days.
