LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will start firing COVID-19 on people aged 65 and over on Monday when the goal of providing vaccines to 15 million people in priority groups, including the elderly and health workers, ends first line.
The government set Monday as the deadline to deliver a first dose of vaccine to all four of its top priority segments, including all those aged 70 and over, a goal it looks set to achieve.
According to the latest official figures, 14.56 million people have been shot, allowing health officials to expand the program to people aged 65 to 69 and other clinically vulnerable people.
The National Health Service (NHS) said approximately one million people had already received invitations.
“Every time in the arm is one more step to return to normalcy in the future and that is why we are now inviting the next priority group to book their appointments,” Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said in a statement.
Britain, which has recorded more than 120,000 deaths from COVID-19, was the first Western country to begin mass vaccinations in December and is ahead of other European countries in launching the shots.
Reports by Michael Holden; Editing by Helen Popper