More than 20 million people in Britain receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

LONDON (Reuters) – More than 20 million people across the UK have now received their first COVID-19 vaccine, data showed on Sunday, as the country made further progress with the fastest vaccination schedule in Europe.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this step was “a huge national achievement and he has borne witness to the health, workers, volunteers and armed forces of the country.

“I urge everyone to receive the jab when called,” Johnson said. “Every hit makes a difference in our fight against COVID.”

Britain has suffered the highest death toll from COVID-19 in Europe – it currently stands at 122,849 – and the heaviest economic shock among large, rich countries, according to key measures from official data.

But the pace of its vaccination rollout has raised the prospect of a gradual lifting of its current lockdown restrictions by the end of June.

Finance Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday pledged to help the economy as long as the country remains under restrictions.

In a budget statement on Wednesday, it is expected to announce more borrowing in addition to its nearly 300 billion pounds ($ 418 billion) in COVID-19 spending and tax cuts.

Official data has shown that a total of 20.09 million people in Britain have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 800,000 have received a second dose.

Britain last week said more than one in three adults had received their first vaccination.

Britain also reported 6,035 more cases in the previous 24 hours and 144 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test on Sunday.

The latest figures meant cases in the past seven days were down 21.2% from the previous seven-day Feb.15-21, and deaths were down 33.5%.