The United Kingdom continues its march forward in the vaccination campaign against Covid-19.
More than 20 million people, nearly a third of the population, have already received a first dose of vaccine there, the government rejoiced on Sunday, which is counting on mass vaccination to get out of the health crisis.
“Twenty million people across the UK have now received the vaccine, a huge national achievement,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Twitter.
He asked anyone called to receive the vaccine to accept it, because “each injection makes a difference in our battle against Covid”.
20 million people across the UK have now got the jab - a huge national achievement and a testament to the tireless work of NHS staff, volunteers, the Armed Forces & many more.
I urge everyone to get the jab when called.
Every jab makes a difference in our battle against COVID.
pic.twitter.com/kdkB2EkGlS
- Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 28, 2021
Saying "absolutely delighted" by this new step, the Minister of Health, Matt Hancock, thanked "each of the people who showed up for an injection, because we know with more and more certainty that the vaccine protect, protect your community, and it is also the way out for all of us ”.
"There is still a long way to go but we are making great strides," he added in a video posted on Twitter.
I'm delighted more than 20 million people across the UK have now been vaccinated.
A magnificent achievement for the country.
The vaccine is our route out.
When you get the call, get the jab!
pic.twitter.com/HCwxpqn7RN
- Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) February 28, 2021
According to official figures released on Sunday, precisely 20,089,551 first doses were administered, with the number of second doses reaching 796,132.
The most bereaved country in Europe with around 123,000 dead, the United Kingdom is counting on mass vaccination to get out of the containment put in place since January to contain a new very virulent wave, attributed to a more contagious variant that has appeared in the south from England.
"With vaccine supplies set to increase in March, we plan to accelerate even further as we approach Easter," England Director General of the Public Health Service (NHS) Simon Stevens said.
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This announcement comes at a time when the country of 66 million inhabitants, very hard hit by the pandemic, is worried about the detection on its territory of a variant that appeared in Manaus, Brazil, considered to be more virulent.
Health authorities announced on Sunday that they had detected six cases.
This variant could be more contagious and resist existing vaccines.
One of these people could not be located due to incomplete contact details provided as part of his test.
A vaccination program by age group rather than by profession
As part of the vaccination campaign, launched in early December and one of the most advanced in the world, the government aims for everyone over 50 to have received a first dose of vaccine by April 15, then all adults. end of July.
Then, in order not to slow its progress, vaccination will continue according to age rather than exposed professions such as police officers and teachers, according to the recommendation of the scientific committee overseeing the campaign.
Priority will therefore be given to people aged 40 to 49, then to those in their thirties and finally to adults between 18 and 29 years old.
The government previously met its goal of partially vaccinating in mid-February, with Pfizer / BioNTech and AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccines currently being deployed, the 15 million over 70s, caregivers, residents and nursing home workers.
The number of contaminations and deaths has fallen for a few weeks, and confinement will be very gradually relaxed between March and the end of June.
But the authorities called on the population not to let their guard down and to continue to respect the restrictions in place.