'Get the jab': UK expands COVID-19 vaccination programme for adults aged 25 to 29 years

The United Kingdom government has expanded its COVID-19 vaccination for all adults above the age of 25. Matt Hancock, UK Health Secretary in the House of Commons announced that from June 8, the vaccination will open up for people aged 25 to 29. The decision comes after NHS announced that half of UK adults have been inoculated with a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination expands for adults aged between 25 to 29

The UK Health Secretary informed the parliament that the vaccination of people under 30 would get underway on June 8. He said that anyone invited to receive the vaccine should come forward, with widespread vaccination being "critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic". Hancock said the vaccine rollout had prevented over 39,000 hospitalisations and more than 13,000 deaths, according to the most recent data. Hancock said that 76 per cent of UK adults have been vaccinated at least once and 52 per cent of adults have been inoculated with both doses of vaccine. NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens hailed the announcement of vaccination for the adults aged 25 to 29 as a "watershed moment" and said the health service's vaccination programme was entering the "home straight".

Hancock warned that the Delta variant of the coronavirus first identified in India now makes up "the vast majority of new infections". He said that the Delta variant has a 40 per cent more transmission rate than the previously dominant Alpha variant. Hancock added that “It is too early to make decisions on step four". He said that the road map will be decided based on data. Hancock also informed Parliament that he has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to provide clinical advice on the vaccination of 12 years to 17-year-olds.

IMAGE: AP