PMQs: Johnson confirms he is having AstraZeneca vaccine
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has updated the nation today (Wednesday, March 17) on the coronavirus situation in the UK. Mr Hancock announced more than 25 million people, more than half of the UK adult population, has now had one vaccine dose in the UK. The Health Secretary also announced all people aged 50 or above are now eligible to book their Covid vaccines from today.
Mr Hancock said the data shows vaccine rollout is contributing to the falling death rate from Covid-19 in the UK.
The Health Secretary added swathes of the over 70s now have antibodies against the virus.
He told the Downing Street press conference: “Around 90 percent of people aged around 70 and above at that point (the start of March) had these antibodies and it has continued to expand further in the two weeks or so since then.”
Mr Hancock said it explains why deaths in the UK are “falling so fast”, down a third in the past week.
Mr Hancock added: “After a single dose of either vaccine, protection against Covid-19 is around 60 percent, that’s protection against getting it, protection against hospitalisation is around 80 percent and protection against death is around 85 percent.”
According to the latest data, on March 17 there have been 141 deaths reported from Covid-19 within 28 days of a positive test.
On March 17, 5,758 cases of COVID-19 were also reported in the UK.
According to the latest data on March 12, 465 people were admitted to hospital with the virus.
Can the over 50’s get the vaccine now?
Anyone over the age of 50 can now sign up for their vaccine appointments via the NHS website or call 119 to book their vaccine.
The booking portal for the Covid vaccine can be found here.
More than two million texts and letters will be sent out to invite people for their Covid vaccines over the coming days.
The Government aims to vaccinate all of the top nine priority groups by mid April.
Everyone in the top nine priority groups should then be offered a second dose by mid-July, up to 12 weeks after the first dose is administered.
The Government is aiming to offer one vaccine dose to the entire adult population by the end of July.
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