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Updated November 8th, 2021 at 11:48 IST

COVID-19: UK PM urges people to get 'life-saving' booster shots as 10mn already jabbed

According to National Health Service (NHS), about 30% of citizens over the age of 80 and 40% over the 50s in England are due for their boosters.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
COVID
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday, 7 November informed that the United Kingdom has clocked more than 10 million COVID-19 booster shots, calling it an "amazing" achievement. The PM appealed to the citizens to get their COVID-19 shots, stating that it is vital to get the "life-saving" booster shots to ensure protection against waning immunity from COVID-19 vaccines. According to a health bulletin released by the National Health Service (NHS), about 30% of citizens over the age of 80 and 40% over the 50s in England are due for their booster shots.

In a tweet on Sunday, Johnson acknowledged that massive number of British citizens have come forward to take their booster shots against COVID-19. 

UK Health Secy urges elderly & vulnerable people to get COVID booster shots

Earlier yesterday, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid asked the elderly and vulnerable populations as earliest as possible to get COVID-19 booster shots to avoid restrictions during the Christmas holidays, Sky News reported on Sunday. As per NHS, approximately 3 million additional eligible people in England will be offered a booster shot next week. "We know immunity starts to wane after six months, especially for the elderly and vulnerable. So, the booster vaccines will strengthen their protection to keep people safe during the upcoming winter season," Javid said, as per the news outlet.

It is to be noted that Javid's message comes a day after British scientists warned COVID crisis in England is "far from over." Noting the "concerning" situation in Britain, the authorities have also increased vaccination sites in the country. At least 500 extra vaccination centers have been set up across the UK to bolster vaccine roll out among the population.

As of 6 November, at least 30,150 new cases were recorded taking the total count to 9,317,072 cases, as per Center for System Sciences and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins. As per records updated by Johns Hopkins University, the COVID-19 death toll in the UK has risen to 1,42,174. It is worth the mention that the UK became the first country to approve oral pills against COVID-19. Merck's oral COVID pill, Molnupiravir, is the first-of-its-kind antiviral oral treatment to get a go-ahead from Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in a boost to fight against the pandemic.

(Image: AP)

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Published November 8th, 2021 at 11:31 IST

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