Covid: UK passes 60m jabs milestone after 762,000 in a day

PA Media

More than 60 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been given in the UK, the health secretary has announced.

Matt Hancock said Saturday was a "huge day" with 762,361 first or second jabs given, one of the highest daily totals since the rollout started.

It comes as a study found the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective after two doses against the variant identified in India.

The UK Health Security Agency's head urged people to get their second dose.

The latest government data shows 556,951 UK adults received a second jab on Saturday, meaning that 43% of the adult population - 22,643,417 people - have now been fully vaccinated.

A total of 205,410 first doses were administered, with that measurement reaching 37,943,681 people, or 72% of UK adults.

Another 2,235 new cases and five deaths within 28 days of a positive test were also announced on Sunday.

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Public Health England, which ran the study into the two vaccines said they are likely to be even more effective at preventing hospital admission and deaths.

Some 13,000 deaths and 39,100 hospitalisations have been prevented in the UK due to the vaccination programme up to 9 May, according to PHE analysis.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said the study was the "first real-world evidence of vaccine effectiveness" against the variant and the "straightforward message" was for people to get both doses.

Responding to the latest vaccination figures, Mr Hancock tweeted: "This is a fantastic milestone in our fight against this virus.

"Thank you to everyone involved in our national effort. When you get the call, get the jab."

Earlier he said the PHE study's findings made him "increasingly confident" that the government was on track for the final stage of easing restrictions in England on 21 June.

The data showed that getting both doses of the vaccine was "absolutely vital", he added.

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May 24, 2021 at 03:35AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57221506