- Health and Social Care Secretary to acknowledge enormous
success of UK’s biggest vaccine drive in history at G7 meeting of
Health Ministersthis week
- New approved Janssen jab boosts armoury in helping to defeat
global pandemic
- Three quarters of UK adults expected to have had first dose
of a vaccine this week as UK set to hit another vital milestone
The outstanding success of the UK’s rollout of life-saving
vaccines in its fight against COVID-19 continues to take
significant strides with another new jab authorised and major
milestones expected to be hit next week.
On Thursday G7 Health Ministers will gather ahead of the leader’s
summit where the Health Secretary will praise the fantastic
efforts of the NHS, volunteers, and scientists over the last year
in developing and rolling out the vaccine programme at pace.
Next week, it is expected that three quarters of adults will have
received their first dose and almost half of all adults will have
had their second dose of a vaccine, ensuring the UK remains on
track to offer the vaccine to all adults by the end of July.
More than 13,000 lives have been saved so far thanks to the
vaccines, reinforcing the importance of taking up the offer of a
first and second dose when invited.
The G7 Health Ministers’ summit follows the announcement that
Janssen’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine has been authorised for
use by the UK medicines regulator, the MHRA. This is yet another
weapon in the UK’s fight against the pandemic. Earlier this year,
the Janssen vaccine was shown to be 67% effective overall in
preventing COVID-19 infection and 85% effective in preventing
severe disease or hospitalisation.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“Vaccines are saving lives, are safe, effective and our way out
of this devastating global pandemic. The rollout continues at
pace and we are making fantastic progress.
“I cannot express my thanks enough to every single person
involved in making the vaccine programme such an astounding
success. Whether it’s researchers behind the science, volunteers
valiantly taking part in trials, the NHS rolling out the jabs or
the public playing their part to help bring cases down and
protect themselves and their loved ones by following the guidance
– this really has shown the best of what the British can do.
“We are seeing encouraging research of the vaccines’ efficacy
against variants, so when you get the call, get the jab.”
Every week brings with it a new milestone, and recently the NHS
invited everyone aged over 30 in England to receive the vaccine,
and more than 60 million doses have now been administered
overall.
As the data shows, take up of the vaccine has seen extremely
encouraging levels, with NHS England announcing the NHS Covid
Vaccination Programme has jabbed more than half of people in
their thirties in just over a fortnight.
More than five million appointments have been made and 53% of
people aged 30-39 have received at least one dose since the
programme began opening up to the age group on May 13.
With such huge levels of support and vaccine take-up from the
public, there are now over 500,000 people signed up to the
Vaccine Research Registry, a register of individuals who are
ready and willing to take part in large scale clinical trials for
COVID-19 vaccines.
The government has also invested £19.3 million into the Cov-Boost
study, led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation
Trust, to trial seven vaccines to inform plans for a booster
programme.
Notes to editors
Recent milestones:
- This month, it was announced thousands of volunteers will
receive a booster COVID-19 vaccine following the launch of a new
clinical trial
- Janssen's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorised by the
Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
- Every adult over 30 now able to book vaccine
- World first COVID-19 vaccine booster study launches in
the UK
- More than 13,000 lives have been saved so far thanks to the
vaccines, finds a study on vaccine
effectiveness
