People eligible for a vaccine who haven’t yet had their jab are
being urged to come forward this weekend in a renewed drive to
roll out the vaccine to those most at-risk as quickly as
possible.
Thanks to the incredible efforts of the NHS, volunteers, our
armed forces and local authorities, more than 14 million of the
most vulnerable people in the UK have already been vaccinated -
including around 9 in ten of all over-70s.
From mosques and museums to rugby grounds and cathedrals,
vaccinations are taking place at thousands of sites across the UK
in the country’s biggest ever medical deployment.
Today, almost 30 government ministers are taking part in a
further concerted push in every region and nation of the UK to
encourage everyone eligible for the vaccine to come forward
through visits and virtual meetings.
They will hear from NHS staff, volunteers helping with the
deployment, and people getting their jabs, as part of continued
efforts to underline the importance of getting vaccinated and
protecting yourself from Covid-19.
Health Secretary has visited the Stoke Mandeville stadium – the
birthplace of the Paralympic movement – which is being used as a
vaccination centre. Culture Secretary is visiting the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground to meet
doctors, nurses and volunteers supporting the national effort,
and Education Secretary is hearing
from military personnel helping administer vaccines alongside
health care staff at the Whitemoor Lakes site in Staffordshire.
Defence Secretary has met with military personnel supporting the
vaccine roll out in Stirling, following confirmation that a
further 353 Armed Forces personnel will deploy across Scotland to
support the pandemic response and Chancellor will speak with health care staff at Elland Road
Vaccination Centre, home of Leeds United.
Home Secretary is volunteering at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Temple in
Bedford and Environment Secretary is having a virtual tour of Stithians’ showground in
Truro to thank local NHS workers.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“I am determined that we protect as many of our country’s most
vulnerable people from this awful disease as soon as possible. It
is so important that everyone aged 70 and over who hasn’t yet had
a vaccination comes forward this weekend and contacts the NHS to
book in their jab.
“Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic and it is testament to
the strength of our Union and the combined power of our United
Kingdom that we’ve seen such incredible progress in the roll out
of our vaccination programme.
“I want to thank all the NHS workers, volunteers, local partners
and armed forces who have done such a tremendous job so far in
protecting our families and our communities.”
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, said:
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of staff, the NHS vaccination
programme, the biggest and fastest in health service history, is
off to a strong start with over 12 million people in England
already taking up the offer of a vaccine at one of over 1,500
centres across the country.
“People in the priority groups have not missed their chance to
get jabbed and if you are aged 70 and over and haven’t yet taken
up the offer, please do come forward and make an appointment -
the vaccine is safe, simple, and will offer you and those around
you crucial protection against this virus.”
The top four priority cohorts include care home residents and
staff, frontline health and social care workers, anyone aged 70
or over and people who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
People aged 70 and over in England should now contact the NHS to
arrange their jab. They can do this through the online national
booking service, of if they can’t get online they can dial 119 or
contact their local GP practice.
Health and social care workers should speak to their employer if
they haven’t had their vaccine yet.
And GP teams have been asked to contact their clinically
extremely vulnerable patients to make sure they have been offered
a jab.
We are working with communities right across the country to make
sure that whatever someone’s background, ethnicity or their
religious beliefs, everyone is able to get the protection they
need as we continue to fight this disease together. Today, the
government and NHS are publishing a new plan setting out the work
we are doing in partnership with communities at a national and
local level to increase vaccine uptake and ensure equity of
access.
The Government has committed to offering the vaccine to all those
over 50 by May and all adults by September.
