Three quarters of UK adult population have received first Covid jab

2 June 2021, 14:44 | Updated: 2 June 2021, 15:45

Three-quarters of the UK’s adult population have now received their first dose of a Covid vaccine, according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

In England, 50% of adults have now had their second jab too.

Whilst both doses are needed for maximum immunity, a single dose still offers significant protection against the virus.

Mr Hancock said the UK had vaccinated 75% of people in the UK while speaking on Wednesday afternoon - more than 39.5 million people.

The announcement comes just a day after a study from a Brazilian town suggested that the pandemic could be controlled if 75 percent of over 18s are vaccinated, although so far the percentage of people who have had both doses is lower.

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"The vaccination programme has given people hope for the future and confidence that we can eventually put this pandemic behind us," Mr Hancock said.

"And I'm so proud of everybody involved."

Thousands vaccinated at Twickenham Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: "We know vaccines are breaking the chain between infection rates, hospital admissions and death. But we also know two doses are better than one, particularly in our fight against the Delta (Indian) variant.

"So while there's a lot to celebrate, we've still got a way to go before people have had both jabs. We also know it takes three weeks for doses to be fully effective.

"We urge everyone to get their jabs when they're offered them."

With the date for the next stage of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown still not confirmed, the milestone is a significant one.

Boris Johnson has said he "can see nothing in the data" indicating the reopening cannot go ahead as planned, but that caution was needed and the data was still "ambiguous".

Deaths are falling in vaccinated groups and a number of recent spikes in infections have largely been confined to younger, unvaccinated people.

Public Health England data shows vaccines have saved 13,200 lives and stopped almost 40,000 hospitalisations in England, the Government said.

They also offer protection against variants.

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15,000 jabs were given out on Wednesday alone, as Twickenham Stadium was transformed into a walk-in vaccination centre for anyone over 18.

Currently, anyone over the age of 30 or who is clinically vulnerable can book their vaccine online.

Ministers are aiming to get all over-50s fully vaccinated by June 21.