More than 17.5 million people, a third of UK adults, have received at least one vaccine picture since inoculations began in December.
The British Government has announced that every adult in the country should receive the first coronavirus vaccine that was fired before 31 July, at least a month earlier than the previous target, because they were preparing a plan Express “caution” to prevent closure of the United Kingdom.
The previous goal was for all adults to have an injection by September. The new target also requires everyone 50 or older and those with an underlying health condition to receive the first of two immunizations before April 15, rather than the previous date of May 1.
Manufacturers of the two vaccines used by Britain, Pfizer and AstraZeneca, have experienced supply problems in Europe. But UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday that “we now think we have the ingredients” to speed up the vaccination campaign.
The early success of Britain’s vaccination effort welcomes news for a country that has suffered more than 120,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest in Europe. More than 17.5 million people, a third of UK adults, have received at least one vaccine picture since inoculations began on 8 December.
Britain is delaying the administration of second doses of vaccines until 12 weeks after the first [File: Dado Ruvic/Reuters]
Britain is delaying the administration of a second dose of vaccine until 12 weeks after the first, rather than three or four weeks, to give partial protection to more people quickly. The approach has been criticized in some countries – and by Pfizer, which says it has no data to support the interim – but is backed by UK government scientific advisers.
Despite the success of Europe’s fastest vaccination campaign, the UK government has been accused of not protecting disabled people, who are among those most at risk from coronavirus.
The Office for National Statistics has found that 60 per cent of people who died of coronavirus in England had a physical or mental disability in 2020. However, many people with disabilities, as well as those with learning disabilities, are “severe or deep ”, which has not been prioritized for vaccination.
Roadmap to reopen
News of the new vaccine targets came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson met on Sunday with senior ministers to pull a “road map” out of the national lock. He plans to announce information in Parliament on Monday.
Contrary to a major virus that scientists say is more mobile than the original virus, Britain has spent much of the winter under tight lock. Bars, restaurants, gyms, schools, hairdressers and all nonessential shops have been closed; grocery stores, pharmacies and takeaways are still open.
The government has insisted that economic and social reopening will be slow and cautious, with impossibility buying or outdoor socialization unlikely before April. Many children return to schools starting March 8 and nursing home residents will have the opportunity to receive one visitor from the same date.
Johnson’s Conservative government has been accused of opening up the country too soon after last year’s first lockout. The number of confirmed new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all declining in February but remain high, and Johnson says his reopening roadmap will continue with “data, not dates”.
But he is under pressure from some Conservative MPs, who argue that restrictions should be lifted quickly to revive an economy hit by three locks in the past year.