More than 200,000 Covid vaccines were dished out on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, NHS chiefs revealed today.Officials praised staff and
More than 200,000 Covid vaccines were dished out on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, NHS chiefs revealed today.
Officials praised staff and volunteers for giving up time with their families over the festive period to protect others.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘I want to say a big thank you to all the NHS staff and volunteers who worked over the weekend to get jabs in arms.
‘If you’re yet to get your booster, do not delay – get boosted now.’
Eight mass centres, tasked with completing the backbone of Britain’s roll-out, were open on December 25 as well as some walk-in sites.
But most of the 3,000 sites dishing out jabs in England didn’t open until today.
Some 32.4million booster doses have been given out across the UK so far, equating to 56.5 per cent of over-12s.
Some 37.5million people in England were double-jabbed three months ago and are now eligible for their booster, meaning 10.2million people are currently eligible for a third dose and have not yet come forward.
More than 2million people would need to be boosted every day between now and Friday to meet Boris Johnson’s target of giving top-up jabs to all adults in England by the end of the year by delivering 1million jabs a day.
However, millions of people who caught Covid this month will be unable to get vaccinated, as people must wait 28 to get a jab after testing positive.
Around 12,000 people got vaccinated on Christmas Day, including more than 10,000 boosters, while 20,000 of the 24,000 jabs administered on Boxing Day were top-up doses.
The NHS said the target was only to offer a booster to all adults by the end of the year, rather than administering all the boosters by that deadline.
In an address to the nation earlier this month, Boris Johnson said: ‘Everyone eligible aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster before the New Year.’
An NHS health worker administers a Covid jab at a pop-up coronavirus vaccination centre at the Redbridge Town Hall – the busiest site in the country on Christmas Day, where more than 900 people were immunised – in east London on December 25
An NHS health worker administers a Covid jab to a pregnant woman at a pop-up coronavirus vaccination centre at the Redbridge Town Hall, east London on Christmas Day
People waiting for a Covid jab at Redbridge Town Hall on Christmas Day
Redbridge Town Hall was the busiest site in the country on Christmas Day, where more than 900 people were immunised. It also went on to deliver around 800 jabs on Boxing Day.
Dr Seedat, a GP and vaccination lead at the site who did not give their full name, said: ‘I am delighted that at Redbridge Town Hall we saw the highest number of people in the country come forward for their jab over Christmas and Boxing Day, protecting themselves and their loved ones against Covid, and credit goes to the whole team, especially those working behind the scenes, who gave up their time to make London safer.
‘I urge any Londoner who is eligible but yet to come forward for their first, second or booster jab to join those getting vaccinated – book or walk-in to any of the many vaccinations sites across the city today.’
Vision Pharmacy in Leicester and Rusholme Pharmacy in Manchester were the next most busy sites on December 25, administering 417 and 244 jabs, respectively.
And a family of six in Sussex, headed by chief nursing officer Allison, who did not give her last name, volunteered on Christmas Day and helped give out more than 200 Covid injections.
Allison said: ‘It was fantastic vaccinating people on Christmas Day and over the most wonderful time of the year – the atmosphere on the day was lovely with people really grateful to get the top-up in protection and thankful to NHS staff for giving up their time over Christmas.
‘We’re really proud as a family to be taking part in the historic vaccination campaign and helping save lives from coronavirus – there are still more jabs to get into arms though and we will be playing our part by continuing to volunteer as a family, and it is really important the public play their part by coming forward for the vaccine if they haven’t already.’
More than seven in 10 eligible adults in England have had a booster jab, including half of over-30s who were invited to get third dose two weeks ago.
Dr Emily Lawson, head of the NHS Covid vaccination programme, said: ‘I want to say a huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers who gave up time with their families over Christmas to protect others – as these figures show it was time well spent.
‘But if you were too busy shopping, cooking, wrapping or visiting family and friends over Christmas to get a jab please book now.
‘There are 1.3million appointments still available between now and next week so go online and arrange one.
‘You won’t need to queue and it is the best way to protect yourself, your family and your friends from Covid.
‘We know that two jabs do not provide the protection you need from Omicron so if you are eligible book a booster without delay.’
Mr Javid said: ‘It’s thanks to our life-saving vaccines, treatments and testing that we’ve been able to see loved ones over the Christmas weekend.
‘The enthusiasm the country has shown for our COVID-19 vaccines has been tremendous, particularly the 214,000 who have gone out of their way this holiday weekend to get their jab and secure protection from the Omicron variant.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
Source: Sound Health and Lasting Wealth
