LONDON (AP) – Britain said on Saturday that half of the country’s adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as the government rushes to reach everyone over the age of 18 by the end of July.
According to the latest government statistics, the National Health Service has shot in the arms of 26.9 million people, 51% of the adult population. The NHS exceeded half a point by delivering 589,689 first doses on Friday, the highest daily total since the mass vaccination program began in early December.
“It’s a huge success,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a video celebrating the milestone. “And I want to thank many, many people involved, including half of all the adults who showed up. It’s so important because this vaccine is our way out of this pandemic. “
The announcement followed news from health authorities earlier this week that Britain would see a “significant reduction” in vaccine supply next month. The NHS will continue during April to administer the first doses to those most at risk of COVID-19, along with 12 million second bites, Hancock said on Saturday.
In an effort to vaccinate as many people as possible, the UK decided to stretch the time between the first and second dose to 12 weeks instead of four weeks as initially planned. Public health officials say the vaccines the country uses offer a high level of immunity after a single shot, although two are needed for complete protection.
Britain has administered 44 doses of vaccine per 100 people, more than any other country with a population of more than 10 million, according to data collected by Oxford University. The United States ranks second with 35 doses per 100.
While Britain celebrates its success, concerns are growing about the failure of rich countries to share scarce vaccine supplies with developing countries.
While Britain should be proud of its vaccination, it’s time to start thinking about the rest of the world, said Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, a London-based health policy think tank. .
Britain has acquired the rights to a significantly higher dose of vaccine than it needs to treat the entire British population, and it is time to start sharing this surplus with the countries that need it most, Farrar said in a statement later. of Hancock’s announcement. Ensuring the world is vaccinated is a scientific and economic imperative, he said.
The government has secured the rights to a total of 457 million doses of eight vaccines. With 66.8 million people living in Britain, it is enough to completely vaccinate the entire population three times.
“If left unchecked in large parts of the world, the virus runs the risk of mutating to a point where our vaccines and treatments no longer work, leaving us all exposed,” Farrar said. “Science has given us the exit strategy, but it will only work if its benefits can reach the maximum number of people around the world.”
Wellcome is a co-founder of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is part of the effort to ensure equitable access to coronavirus vaccines worldwide.
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