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Summary
- UK ministers have been asked to encourage people to take the Covid-19 jab.
- Nearly 15 million people are likely to receive at least one shot by 15 February.
In a final push to meet the vaccination target, UK ministers are asking those between 70 and 80 years to get their first Covid-19 shot. Over 14 million people in the UK have received at least one vaccine shot and the number is expected to touch 15 million by Monday. This number would be covering 88 per cent of the British population that is at the maximum risk of dying from the coronavirus. The data published on Friday stated that more than 530,000 people have got their second jabs.
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UK health secretary Matt Hancock has said that he hoped that the coronavirus disease is curable by the end of this year and people live with it just like they do with an ordinary flu. Over 90 per cent of all the 70+ across the country have received their shots by now, as per the latest data.
Vaccination drive
The UK ministers are taking part in a renewed drive over this weekend to encourage everyone belonging to the top four priority groups to take the vaccine. These groups are – care home residents, front line social and health care staff, people aged 70 and above, and the extremely vulnerable. Nearly 30 ministers are taking part in the inoculation drive by physically visiting or virtually meeting people and encouraging them to get vaccinated.
Professor Stephen Powis, medical director, NHS, has encouraged the remaining over 70s population to come forward and take an appointment. He said that the vaccine is simple and safe. It offers not just a personal protection but also shields those around you against the virus, he added.
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At the same time, the government has released a new plan for boosting the vaccine uptake across communities, including people who feel hesitant to take a shot. The plan aims to raise awareness on how the NHS is making the jab available to all including minorities, homeless, disabled and asylum seekers.
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Next steps
The government will be sharing the details next week regarding the categories of people to be vaccinated next. These involve the 50 plus along with those with certain underlying health issues. These people are slated to get their first doses by May.
On Friday, Wales had announced that it was the first UK state to have met the vaccination target. In fact, some places have already started calling in those in the 60+ bracket to take the vaccine.
Current status
The latest Office for National Statistics data showed that the number of cases was going down across all the nations in the UK. But the absolute number of infections remained high. On 12 February, 15,144 new cases were recorded in Britain. Additionally, there were 758 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.
