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20 million people in UK have had first dose of coronavirus vaccine

More than 20 million Britons have received their first coronavirus vaccine dose, the UK government has said.

In a video uploaded to his Twitter profile, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said it was a “magnificent achievement for the country”.

He added: “I’m absolutely delighted that over 20 million people have now been vaccinated across the UK – it’s absolutely fantastic.

“I want to thank every single person who’s come forward to get the jab because we know with increasing confidence that the jab protects you, it protects your community and it also is the route out of this for all of us.”

Pfizer/BioNTech

Country US/Germany

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Efficacy 95% a week after the second shot. Pfizer says it is only 52% after the first dose but the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) says this may rise to 90% after 21 days.

The UK has ordered 40m doses.

Doses Clinical trials involved two doses 21 days apart. The UK is stretching this to 12 weeks.


Oxford/AstraZeneca

Country UK

Efficacy 70.4% 14 days after receiving the second dose. May have up to 90% efficacy when given as a half dose followed by a full dose. No severe disease or hospitalisations in anyone who received the vaccine. There have been concerns it is less effective against the South African variant of the coronavirus.

The UK has ordered 100m doses.

Doses Two, four to 12 weeks apart


Moderna

Country US

Efficacy Phase 3 trial results suggest 94.1%.

The UK has ordered 17m doses, to be delivered in March or April

Doses Two, 28 days apart


Novavax

Country US

Efficacy Phase 3 trials suggest 89.3%.

60m doses ordered by the UK, with distribution expected principally in the second half of the year

Doses Two


Janssen (part of Johnson & Johnson)

Country US

Efficacy 72% in preventing mild to moderate cases in US trials but 66% efficacy observed in international trials. 85% efficacy against severe illness, and 100% protection against hospitalisation and death.

30m doses ordered by the UK

Doses: One, making it unique among Covid vaccines with phase 3 results so far


The vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, tweeted: “Bingo! One score over 20,000,000 people have had the vaccination (1st dose). What an achievement for February 2021. What a team! Proud to be with you on this journey.”

Government data shows that of the 20.5m jabs given in the UK up to 27 February, only 768,810, or approximately 4%, represented second doses.

It comes as nearly 2 million people aged 60 to 63 in England are being invited to book a coronavirus jab, with their letters due to start arriving on Monday. NHS England said the letters would explain how people could make an appointment through the national booking service.

The letters had been sent out after more than three in four people aged 65 to 70 took up the offer of a vaccination, it added.

A further 149 people who tested positive for coronavirus had died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 83,123, NHS England said on Sunday.

Patients were aged between 23 and 103 and all except six, aged between 34 and 89, had known underlying health conditions. The deaths took place between 8 January and 27 February.

Nine out of 10 people aged 65 and over in England have now had their first covid vaccine, and the latest batch of invites will mean that everyone in the first seven priority groups will have been offered a jab.

Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS’s national medical director, said: “It is down to the hard work of NHS staff, volunteers and all the others supporting the vaccination programme, that we can now invite everyone aged 60 to 63 years old to arrange an appointment to get jabbed as soon as possible.

“It is never too late to take up the offer and I would urge anyone eligible who has yet to do so to come forward and protect yourself and others.”

Last week, the NHS wrote to almost 450,000 people aged 64, as well as 600,000 at-risk individuals who have recently been asked to shield.

Vaccinations are being administered at more than 1,500 sites across the country, including mosques, museums and rugby grounds, with the distribution of centres meaning 98% of the country lives within 10 miles of at least one vaccination service. Appointments are staggered to allow for social distancing and people are being asked not to turn up early to avoid creating queues.