LONDON – England will begin the next phase of its COVID-19 vaccination program on Monday when it will start offering doses to people aged 70 and older and those considered clinically extremely vulnerable to the coronavirus.
The vaccination program – the largest to date in Europe – has so far focused on people aged 80 and over, as well as health care and healthcare professionals in the foreground.
“Today is a major milestone in our vaccination program as we open it up to millions more people at greatest risk from COVID-19,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday.
“We have a long way to go and there will undoubtedly be challenges ahead – but by working together we are making great progress in our fight against this virus.”
Health Minister Matt Hancock said more than half of all people over the age of 80 have now been vaccinated.
Britain – which has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe – hopes advances in vaccination will enable it to alleviate some of the economically damaging restrictions on the closure in March, said Foreign Minister Dominic Raab sake, said.
The government wanted all adults to get a first vaccination by September, he said: “If we can do it faster than that, great. But that’s the road map.”
Johnson set himself the goal of vaccinating the four most at-risk categories by mid-February – about 14 million people.
The government has said that the first two groups in its program will remain its priority, but that vaccination sites that can take in more people will invite members of the next two groups for their shots.
Sunday’s announcement relates to vaccinations in England, a health ministry spokesman said. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own power over health policy.
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