LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will start giving COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 65 and over on Monday, while closing its target to provide vaccines to 15 million people in priority groups, including the elderly and top health workers.
The government set Monday as the deadline for delivering a first dose of vaccine to all those in the first four priority segments, including all those aged 70 and over, a target it appears to be achieving.
According to the latest official figures, 14.56 million people received a blow, allowing health officials to extend the program to those aged 65 to 69 and to other clinically vulnerable people.
The National Health Service (NHS) said about 1 million people have already received invitations.
“Every blow to the arm is another step closer to returning to normalcy in the future, and that is why we now call on the next priority group to reserve its appointments,” Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi said in a statement.
The UK, which has seen more than 120,000 deaths due to COVID-19, was the first Western country to start mass vaccinations in December and is ahead of other European countries in launching photographs.
Reporting by Michael Holden; Montage by Helen Popper