England Expands COVID-19 Vaccination Program to More Groups

LONDON – England will kick off the next phase of its COVID-19 vaccination program on Monday when it begins offering doses to people aged 70 and over and those considered clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus.

The vaccination program – the largest to date in Europe – has so far focused on people aged 80 and over as well as health and frontline care workers.

“Today is an important step in our vaccination program as we are opening it up to millions more people who are most at risk of COVID-19,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday.

“We have a long way to go and there will undoubtedly be challenges to overcome – but by working together we are making tremendous progress in our fight against this virus.”

Health Minister Matt Hancock said more than half of all over 80s have now been vaccinated.

Britain – which has the highest death toll from COVID-19 in Europe – hopes progress in vaccine deployment will allow it to ease some of the economically damaging lockdown restrictions in March, the business minister said foreign Dominic Raab.

The government wanted all adults to be offered a first vaccination by September, he said, adding, “If we can do it faster than that, great. But that’s the road map.” “

Johnson has set a goal of vaccinating the four most-at-risk categories – encompassing around 14 million people – by mid-February.

The government has said the first two groups in its program will remain its priority but that vaccination sites that can accommodate more people will invite members of the next two cohorts to be vaccinated.

Sunday’s announcement was about vaccinations in England, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own powers over health policy.

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