Moderna vaccines rolled out in England

Health authorities in England rolled out the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, as the vaccination drive was expanded to people over the age of 45. Emily Sanderson, a 28-year-old solicitor in the northern city of Sheffield, became one of the first recipients of the jab.

She was originally booked in for an AstraZeneca shot, but that was cancelled after British authorities revised guidance to offer people under 30 an alternative inoculation where possible. The change followed studies that the AstraZeneca shot may be linked to very rare blood clots.

For 45-year-old Gary Ellis in Reading, getting the jab was "an absolute relief." Scotland and Wales have already rolled out the Moderna vaccine, and it will be offered in Northern Ireland in the coming weeks. Britain said Tuesday it has hit its target of giving at least one dose of vaccine to everyone over 50 and others in groups at highest risk from the coronavirus by mid-April. More than 32 million people, over 60% of adults, have had a first shot and almost 15% of people in the U.K. have now had both doses.

(Image Credit: AP)