LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will start delivering COVID-19 shots to those aged 65 and over on Monday as it closes on its target to offer vaccines to 15 million people in priority groups including former health care workers.
The government set Monday as the deadline for delivering the first dose of vaccine to everyone in its four main priority areas, including everyone aged 70 and over, a goal that it seems to reach.
According to the latest official figures, 14.56 million people have been shot, allowing health officials to extend the program to people aged 65 to 69, and to other clinically vulnerable people.
The National Health Service (NHS) said about 1 million people had already been invited.
“Every injection in the arm is one step closer to a return to regularity in the future and that is why we are now inviting the next priority group to hold their meetings. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said in a statement.
Britain, which has recorded more than 120,000 deaths from COVID-19, was the first Western country to start major vaccines in December, and is ahead of other European countries in spreading the pictures.
Reporting by Michael Holden; Edited by Helen Popper