Prime Minister confirms Government set to hit target of offering 15 million Covid-19 vaccines to most at risk

The Government aims to offer vaccines to 15 million people - those aged 70 and over, care home residents, healthcare workers and people required to shield - by Monday, February 15.

Boris Johnson has hailed the vaccination programme and urged those in the top four groups who had not yet received a first dose to come forward.

In a video posted on his Twitter account, Boris Johnson said: “As I speak we’ve vaccinated about 14 million people now across the whole of the UK – that’s the first jab for 14 million people.

"It looks like we are on target, we very much hope to reach the JCVI, the most vulnerable groups one to four, by the 15th.

“There’s obviously a lot of work going on to make sure we do that and I want to thank, again, everyone involved who’s helping.

“There are still a million or more who have not yet come forward to get your vaccinations in this group. Please do so.”

NHS England also confirmed that the top four priority groups in England “have now been offered the opportunity to be vaccinated”.

It urged health and care workers who have not accepted a vaccine but would like one to contact their employer who is responsible for arranging their vaccination.

It comes as Government data up to February 11 shows that 14,012,224 people in the UK have now received a first dose of the vaccine.

In further developments, NHS England said people aged 65 to 69 can now have a Covid-19 vaccine in England if GPs have supplies.

Some regions of England have already begun vaccinating the over-65s with their first dose after they reached everyone in the top four priority groups.

Meanwhile the reproduction number, or R value, for coronavirus is now estimated to be between 0.7 and 0.9 across the UK.

This is the first time since July that R has been this low, and shows that lockdown restrictions are having an impact and the epidemic is shrinking.

People eligible for a jab can also arrange one through the national booking system – www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination – or by calling 119.

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