Half of all over-80s have been vaccinated against coronavirus, says Health Secretary Matt Hancock

Half of all over-80s have been vaccinated against coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

(PA)

Half of all over-80s have been vaccinated against coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

The milestone is more positive news for the government’s vaccination programme, that has now seen more than 3.5million people get a first jab in the UK.

Earlier NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said the NHS in England is vaccinating at a rate of “140 jabs a minute” and will start testing 24/7 vaccinations in some hospitals in the next 10 days.

While Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab revealed the Government hoped to give all UK adults a vaccine dose by September.

Health secretary Mr Hancock tweeted: “I’m delighted that over half of all over-80s have been vaccinated.

“Each jab brings us one step closer to normal.

“Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.”

I'm delighted that over half of all over-80s have been vaccinated.

Each jab brings us one step closer to normal.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) January 17, 2021

NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “Since Christmas Day we’ve seen another 15,000 increase in the in-patients in hospitals across England, that’s the equivalent of filling 30 hospitals full of coronavirus patients.

“Staggeringly, every thirty seconds across England another patient is being admitted to hospital with coronavirus.”